SUNDERLAND

Simon Grayson will make a fresh attempt to land Preston striker Jordan Hugill this week.

Grayson is keen to be reunited with the North End forward and wants to get something tied up before the season opener with Derby on Friday.

Hugill, from Middlesbrough, has a number of Championship clubs chasing his signature and there have been offers in the region of £2.5m knocked back so far at Deepdale from Birmingham and Ipswich.

Grayson is hoping his relationship with Hugill will help him to get a deal over the line, although Sunderland know they will have to pay £4m at least for him.

The Northern Echo: League Division 2: Hartlepool United v Exeter City at Victoria Park, Hartlepool in their last home game of the season where survival is the football league was confirmed with a 2-1 victory. Hartlepool's Jordan Hugill scores the second and winning goal.

TARGET: Jordan Hugill during his Hartlepool loan

That could be helped if Jeremain Lens completes a move to Besiktas. The Turkish club have already had an offer rejected for him and Sunderland are hoping for a fee around the £8m mark.

Lens was left out of Saturday’s 5-0 defeat to Celtic at the Stadium of Light, when Grayson also confirmed he is still confident of signing free agent goalkeeper Robbin Ruiter.

MIDDLESBROUGH

Middlesbrough are ready to increase their offer for Birmingham defender Ryan Shotton – and are expected to launch a fresh approach this week.

Shotton was left out of Birmingham’s squad for the weekend friendly with Swansea City because of the possibility of him leaving.

The 28-year-old has indicated to City boss Harry Redknapp that he fancies the Boro switch after becoming aware of Garry Monk’s interest.

"He trained this morning, we had an offer from a club and I think he would like to move if he gets the opportunity," Redknapp said. "The offer didn't meet out valuation and until it does he will stay here.

"Everybody we go for, no-one is giving us anyone cheap, so we have to make sure we get the right value for him."

The Northern Echo: FOOT RACE: Zach Clough, right, aims to beat Derby's Ryan Shotton to the ball

WANTED: Ryan Shotton during his time at Derby 

Now Monk, who has already spent in the region of £40m, must decide whether to make another offer for Shotton knowing Hull City have also had a bid turned down.

Birmingham remain keen on Stewart Downing, so he could come into the negotiations, while Gaston Ramirez is wanted by Real Betis, Nantes and Freiburg. Ramirez did, though, figure against Augsburg on Saturday, unlike Downing.

NEWCASTLE

Arsenal forward Lucas Perez could be on the move this week and Newcastle are one of the clubs to have registered an interest.

Perez has struggled to make an impact at the Emirates since arriving from Deportivo in a £17.1m move last summer. The Spanish club want him back and that looks like a deal that could happen.

But Newcastle are another of the clubs to have been in contact to discuss the possibility of landing him on loan, with Rafael Benitez aware the player has told Arsene Wenger he wants to leave Arsenal.

The Northern Echo: Agent: Lucas Perez wants to leave Arsenal this summer

INTEREST: Lucas Perez

Benitez has accepted he needs to offload a number of players before he can make the sort of further changes he feel his squad needs. And he is also interested in Real Madrid winger Lucas Vasquez.

Having been rebuffed in his attempts to land a number of goalkeepers, he has now been linked in Italy with a £3.6m move for Udinese shot-stopper Orestis Karnezis.

OTHER CLUBS

Barcelona are to offer Liverpool Rafinha in an attempt to lure Philippe Coutinho to the Nou Camp. Jurgen Klopp will step up his bid to sign Borussia Dortmund forward Christian Pulisic if Coutinho leaves for Spain.

Liverpool defender Mamadou Sakho could be on his way to Italy with Roma if the Serie A club come up with £30m.

Galatasaray have confirmed they are in talks to sign Manchester United midfielder Marouane Fellaini.

Reading are close to adding strikers Sone Aluko and Nakhi Wells from Fulham and Huddersfield respectively.

Big-spending Championship side Wolves could make a shock £20m move for top-flight Burnley's star striker Andre Gray.

Ronald Koeman will this week step up his interest in Olivier Giroud. The Arsenal striker is the No 1 target on Everton's hit-list.

Stoke are closing in on a deal for Manchester City's England midfielder Fabian Delph.

Arsenal and arch-rivals Tottenham are both keeping tabs on teenage striker Yann Karamoh at French club Caen.