LIVERPOOL face a battle to secure the signature of striker Connor Wickham after it emerged that Sunderland had tabled a bid for the Ipswich Town man.

Anfield manager Kenny Dalglish has a strong interest in the 18-year-old, who scored nine goals for the Suffolk club last season, and was part of the England Under-21 squad for this summer's European Championships in Denmark.

Wickham is valued by Ipswich at around the £10m mark, but Sunderland are believed to have tabled an offer worth in the region of £8m, in addition to a series of appearance-related add-ons.

Black Cats manager Steve Bruce will have money to spend following the sale of midfielder Jordan Henderson to Liverpool for £16m earlier this month, but Wickham is understood to favour a move to Merseyside, having grown up a Liverpool supporter. Arsenal and Tottenham are also though to be monitoring the situation.

Ipswich are under no pressure, financially, to cash in on their prized asset, but are aware that Wickham, despite signing a three-year contract as recently as April, is eager to step up to the Premier League sooner rather than later.

And the signing of strikers Michael Chopra and Nathan Ellington suggest contingency plans are in place should Wickham leave.