MICK McCARTHY has not given up hope of bolstering Sunderland's forward line after watching another of his transfer targets move on.

McCarthy openly admitted last night that he showed an interest in 20-goal striker Dean Ashton but was put off by Crewe's demands for a £3m fee.

Ashton has since left Gresty Road to sign for Norwich City where he has a seemingly impossible challenge of trying to stop the Canaries from falling back into the Football League after just one season in the Premiership.

The 21-year-old's 61 goals in 131 appearances for Crewe alerted a number of top clubs and Sunderland had been keeping an eye on his progress for some time.

But Norwich were the only club prepared to gamble their money on a young player with undoubted potential and it's a scenario which resembles the same one this time last year when McCarthy lost out to Blackburn in the race for Jon Stead.

And the Sunderland boss confirmed: "We are still looking for players. We were interested in Dean Ashton about £2.5m ago but we just couldn't do it. He is a good player and I am sure he will do well at Norwich.

"Dean Ashton was under contract at Crewe and he continued to develop as a player so they are right to get a good fee for him."

Sunderland's admission is another sign that they are on the hunt for a new striker with Kevin Kyle looking like being sidelined for the rest of the season with a recurring hip problem.

McCarthy has made inquiries to Blackburn about the availability of Stead, but manager Mark Hughes insists the England Under-21 striker is going nowhere.

The Black Cats only have Stephen Elliott, Chris Brown, Marcus Stewart and Michael Bridges left and the manager is searching for another forward that would add a stronger aerial presence to the side.

The search comes at a time when Sunderland go face to face with a striker that opted to turn his back on the North-East in the summer.

Derby snapped up Tommy Smith under McCarthy's nose after bettering the contract that had been offered after spending last season at the Stadium of Light.

The Sunderland manager knows all about the threat Smith will pose tomorrow at Pride Park but believes the player has a lot of quality that has so far gone untapped.

"Tommy has ability. He had it at 18 and he's only 24 now. He has the ability and he has to do it week in and week out.

"He's a good player Tommy and he's got the best years of his ability ahead of him. He's quick and scores great goals rather than plenty of them," said McCarthy, on a player who has eight goals for the Rams.

"But he's nothing to do with me anymore. I like him and I think he's a good player but now it's up to him. How he progresses now is purely up to him and I would like to think we helped him along his way."

Sunderland are likely to be still without star player Julio Arca for tomorrow's trip and that means left winger Andy Welsh should be handed another chance to shine.

Welsh's first goal for the club since his move from Stockport came in the FA Cup win over Crystal Palace last weekend and McCarthy has been notably impressed by the 21-year-old.

"I have been happy with him. He is such a conscientious lad and his performance on Saturday was fantastic," he said.

"He is hungry to be a success. He reminded me that he had played at this level with Stockport and I had forgotten that.

"He wants to do well and he is ambitious to prove everyone wrong who doubted him, which is a nice way to get them."

Sunderland, expected to welcome back goalkeeper Mart Poom to the bench tomorrow, travel to Pride Park with a mixed record away from home.

McCarthy's determination to travel to places and go for broke has led to his side winning seven, losing six and drawing just once outside of Wearside.

And he claims he would not have it any other way. "I think we have a good record away. We go out and try to win the games," said McCarthy, whose side grabbed a memorable draw at Derby last year when Poom sensationally scored in injury-time.

"It's better than going away and boring people. I would sooner and rather go to a place and try to take the three points. I would hate to set up for a draw and lose. It's not my mentality to do that. I would rather lose and go out for a win."

Sunderland go to play-off chasing Derby knowing George Burley's men have won just one of their last five Championship matches on home soil.

* Former Sunderland midfielder Thomas Butler is on trial at Sheffield Wednesday after being released by Dunfermline.

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