PETER Reid's proposed £6.2m move for Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic was in jeopardy last night.

Seven weeks after Leeds United forward Robbie Keane rejected a move to Sunderland, Ibrahimovic revealed he did not want to leave Ajax.

And Reid was also understood to be reluctant to meet the price tag slapped on the 20-year-old's head by Ajax.

The Sunderland manager was hopeful of landing Ibrahimovic after preliminary talks between the two clubs on Monday.

But following his failure to lure Keane and a welter of other strikers to Sunderland, Reid was facing up to more frustration as the August 31 transfer deadline looms.

There was a crumb of comfort for Reid to cling to yesterday when midfielder Matthew Piper agreed terms on his £3m move from Leicester City.

But with Sweden international Ibrahimovic reluctant to leave Dutch champions Ajax, and Tore Andre Flo still a Rangers player, Kevin Phillips is the only fully-fit senior striker at Reid's disposal ahead of their first home game of the season against Everton on Saturday.

Ibrahimovic said: "I'm not ready to leave Ajax. We're playing in the Champions League this season and I've got a good future at Ajax.

"The Premiership is a good league but at the moment I'd prefer to stay at Ajax."

Reid turned to Ibrahimovic after being frustrated in his efforts to sign Keane, Chelsea's Eidur Gudjohnsen and a number of other forwards.

An Ajax spokesman issued a terse "no comment" last night when asked about the future of Ibrahimovic, who is expected to play for Sweden against Russia in Stockholm this evening.

But the player's current reluctance to leave the Amsterdam giants, plus his asking price, will be a major obstacle to any deal being struck.

Ibrahimovic, who likes to be known as 'Zlatan', signed a five-year contract at Ajax last summer but has been unable to command a regular place in the first team.

The former Malmo man, who scored six goals in 24 appearances last season, was suspended for five matches for elbowing an opponent and clashed with David Beckham earlier this month.

Ajax coach Ronald Koeman admitted in May that he would sell the Swede if they received an attractive offer for him, but was later quoted as saying that Ibrahimovic was his main striker following some impressive pre-season performances.

Reid's necessity for extra firepower was underlined yesterday by Thomas Sorensen, who told the Sunderland manager he must sign two strikers before the end of the month.

With Niall Quinn easing himself into his coaching role, and Lilian Laslandes heading for Bastia, Sorensen said: "There's no secret that we need a couple of strikers. We only had Kevin Phillips and Kevin Kyle in the pre-season and you need competition up front.

"Tore Andre Flo and Michael Mols would be two great signings; in fact, just one of them would be a good signing for us.

"Kevin Kyle could learn a lot, and if Tore Andre Flo came he could learn from him and maybe get games here and there so he will be better equipped for the first team."

Sorensen will be up against Kyle in tonight's friendly between Scotland and Denmark at Hampden Park.

Kyle, 21, will make his full international debut before Reid has given him his first senior start for Sunderland.

Sorensen, who will pull on a Denmark shirt for the first time since his horrendous display against England at the World Cup, said: "Kevin's been trying to fill in the gap after Niall Quinn stepped down a bit and he did very well in pre-season.

"He's a strong lad and still got things he can improve on, but everyone's got that.

"I'm sure he's got a great career in front of him and it will be nice to have a little test with him in the game.

"You need to let young players have the chance. You can't just keep them out and suddenly when they are 27 or 28 throw them in."

Meanwhile, Piper is expected to be unveiled as a Sunderland player within the next 24 hours after he agreed personal terms last night.

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