Over the last month,Sunderland owner Ellis Short has been in contactwith a variety ofconsortiumsbased inChina regarding a possible takeover, according to a report in theThe Sun.
The American billionaire is thought to be prepared to listen to offers in the region of £150m, although the Black Cats' perilous league position and colossal price-tag are thought to have scuppered at least one possible deal.
The club are currently rock-bottom of the Premier League, having lost six of their opening eight games and areyet to win a league fixture, with pressure mounting on recently installed manager David Moyes.
According to the report, talks with interested parties have yet to materialise past the sounding-out stage, but Short is enthusiastic on the idea of selling to Chinese investors, having witnessed consortiums from the cash-rich country purchase the likes of West Bromwich Albion, Aston Villa andWolverhampton Wanderers.
The 56-year-old, originally fromMissouri, has never come out publicly to state his intention to sell, although he will be aware that Far Eastern interest in English football could offer him with an exit-strategy.
Short, who paid £20m to buy Sunderland fromthe Irish-based Drumaville consortium seven years ago, has invested in excess of £200m of his personal fortune into the club.