SUNDERLAND manager Peter Reid resumed his search for a top striker yesterday after returning from holiday - and could have added the name of Welsh international John Hartson to his list of possibles.

Hartson, who came close to saving Coventry City from relegation with six goals in 12 games after his pay-as-you-play transfer from Wimbledon, has been the subject of an unsuccessful £1m bid by Leicester City.

Coventry City chairman Bryan Richardson labelled the approach 'a joke', but did not rule out the possibility of parting with the bustling 26-year-old former Arsenal centre-forward as his team prepares for First Division football.

Hartson, who costs Coventry a £15,000 match fee for every game he plays, was the Coventry match-winner in a 1-0 victory over Sunderland at Highfield Road in April.

After the game Reid expressed his admiration for the whole-hearted Welshman, who had scored with a diving header from ten yards.

Reid said: "Hartson is a handful if you get quality balls to him - he makes things happen."

A major problem, however, is that Hartson is still carrying a worrying knee problem which scuppered proposed moves to Glasgow Rangers and Tottenham Hotspur last season.

But Reid kept faith with Niall Quinn, who underwent two career-threatening knee ligament operations after his £1.2m move from Manchester City to Wearside to become a huge crowd favourite.

Quinn is now having recurring problems with a back injury which is spurring Reid to splash out on a similar-style striker to share the workload next season.

Reid has confirmed his interest in French international Lilian Laslandes, who can leave Bordeaux for a fee of around £3m, and the big striker is expected to have talks with the Sunderland boss later this week.

Sunderland have also been linked with the big Athletico Bilbao striker Ismael Urzaiz, who is also keen to move from Spain to play Premiership football.

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