Reprieve for West Ham as Sunderland striker a Turkey target

Sunderland will find out in the next 24 hours the immediate future of striker Asamoah Gyan as he has been linked with a move to Turkey.

The Ghanaian striker was rumoured to want out of the Stadium of Light on the final day of the transfer window and there was some speculation that he went as far to hand in a transfer request.

No move materialised in this time, but there is still a chance that he could complete a switch to either Galatasaray or Fenerbahce, as the Turkish transfer window does not close until tonight.

Galatasaray are believed to have offered around £5m for Gyan, while match-fixing allegations mean that Fenerbahce cannot sign players permanently and so will be looking for a loan deal.

However, Galatasaray may have to up their offer significantly if they want to encourage Sunderland to sell, as Steve Bruce will want to recoup close to the £13m he paid Rennes for Gyan last summer.

But with Gyan supposedly causing some unrest within the camp and Nicklas Bendtner being bought in on the final day of the transfer window, Bruce may lower his demands and allow the 25-year-old to leave.

If Gyan does head to Galatasaray, West Ham will be one club pleased with the deal as it would logically mean that they would maintain the services of Carlton Cole.

Cole is another striker linked with a deadline-day move to Turkey and Galatasaray are also thought to have tabled a £5m bid for the Championship striker.

Gyan is currently sidelined by a thigh injury that caused him to be stretchered off in Ghana’s African Cup of Nations qualifier with Swaziland, but if he remains at Sunderland he should pass fit to face Chelsea this weekend.

Sunderland’s odds are 7/2 to beat Chelsea, with the visitors 4/6 to take the three points.