GUS POYET faces strong competition from a growing list of Premier League clubs if the Sunderland boss decides to move for Celtic defender Virgil van Dijk.

The Black Cats have kept an eye on the Holland Under-21 international since last season but have been put off by the Scottish Premier League champions’ double figure asking price.

However, that has not prevented Sunderland from being represented at a number of Celtic matches and the Wearside club had scouts at Monday night’s win at Kilmarnock.

Manchester United and Arsenal are among the clubs known to have visited Celtic Park to assess the credentials of van Dijk, while Everton manager Roberto Martinez is weighing up a January offer.

The 23-year-old is rated in the £8m bracket by many, although having paid Groningen £2.6m for him in the summer of last year there is as feeling at Parkhead that they might even be able to bring in more.

Former Sunderland goalkeeper Craig Gordon thinks van Dijk has the attributes to be a real success story for club and country.

Gordon, playing again with Celtic after a long lay-off, said: “He’s a brilliant player. He’s powerful, he wins his headers, he’s good on the ball, he makes passes, he starts off our attacks and he defends well as well.

“He really does have everything that you could possibly ask for in a centre-half. He’s one of the quickest centre-halves I have played with as well, so he does have absolutely everything for the modern centre-half. It’s fantastic that we’ve got him and if we go past the transfer window and he’s still here, I won’t be complaining.”

Despite having options at the heart of the defence because of Sebastien Coates’ arrival on a season-long loan last summer, Sunderland would still like to bring in a new centre-back and van Dijk is one of the preferred choices. Having someone in before Saturday’s visit of Liverpool, however, has been written off.

Poyet is keeping his transfer window intentions close to his chest, having become frustrated with the length of time it took for sporting director Lee Congerton to land new players during the summer despite plenty of work behind the scenes.

Poyet, who has suggested it could be hard to bring in new recruits during the winter window, is keen to make additions and a new striker is highest in his thinking. Arsenal’s young forward Yaya Sanogo and Chelsea winger Mohamed Salah are among those attracting loan enquiries.

Sanogo, who was on both Sunderland and Newcastle’s radar in the summer, looks likely to be on the move for the short term at least this month. French clubs Lyon, St Etienne and Lille are all interested. Alan Pardew, after taking over at Crystal Palace, has expressed an interest in taking him to Selhurst Park.

If Poyet – who does not think midfielder Lee Cattermole will be fit to face Liverpool this weekend - is successful in landing new players then they are unlikely to be training with Danny Graham.

The former Middlesbrough and Swansea striker, who recently returned from a loan with Wolves, is wanted by Wigan. The Latics’ manager Malky Mackay was Graham’s manager at Watford when he scored 38 goals in 91 appearances between 2009 and 2011.