Sunderland AFC set to bid for French forward after 7-figure Luton & Blackburn Rovers offers rejected | OneFootball

Sunderland are the latest Championship club linked with a move for St Gallen forward Willem Geubbels

Sunderland are poised to join a number of Championship and continental clubs in a late bidding war for St. Gallen frontman Willem Geubbels.

That's according to a recent update from journalist Sebastian Denis, who reported the latest development in a potentially-dramatic second-tier saga via his X account on Thursday afternoon.

Sunderland's pursuit of additional forward options has been well-documented this month, with Regis Le Bris eager to supplement the ambitious arrival of Enzo Le Fee with increased firepower to spearhead the side's promotion bid.

The Black Cats are currently fourth in the Championship but automatic promotion remains very much in sight, with just five points separating themselves from league leaders Leeds United.

Sunderland set to bid for St. Gallen's Willem Geubbels following rejected Blackburn, Luton offers

As per Denis' update, Sunderland are preparing an offer for Geubbels after St.Gallen, of the Swiss top-flight, rejected bids from two Championship rivals in Blackburn Rovers and Luton Town.

According to Denis, Luton have seen an €8 million (£6.69 million) bid turned down, while Blackburn's lower offer of €4 million (£3.34 million) has also been rejected.

Bundesliga outfit Union Berlin have been dealt a blow in their own pursuit too, with the German side failing to strike an agreement yet with their €6 million (5.02 million) proposal.

Sunderland, then, will clearly have to submit an offer in excess of what has already been put on the table, meaning Geubbels will not come cheap.

The French striker, who was reportedly of loan interest to Leeds, Norwich City and West Bromwich Albion earlier this month, has displayed eye-catching form over in Switzerland during the current campaign.

Having formerly been tipped for big things back in his homeland with the likes of Lyon and Monaco, the ex-France youth international is enjoying his best ever season infront of goal, having already returned 10 strikes from 23 matches across all competitions.

Sunderland have been linked to Chuba Akpom, Cameron Archer amid Willem Geubbels chase

Geubbels is not the first striker Sunderland have been linked to this month and, judging off just how much the window is intensifying as it heads into its dying embers, he will surely not be the last either.

It will be interesting, however, to see just what this means for their reported interest in the likes of Chuba Akpom and Cameron Archer.

The two strikers, of Ajax and Southampton respectively and both with real Championship goalscoring pedigree, have been linked with moves to the Stadium of Light in recent times.