Sunderland are closing in on QPR's beanpole striker Peter Crouch as the replacement for Niall Quinn - and still haven't given up hope of landing Arsenal's Ray Parlour.

Manager Peter Reid sent coach Adrian Heath and scout Tony Book to watch 6ft 6in Crouch in Rangers' Tuesday night match at Crewe.

And he received a glowing report after Crouch scored one superb goal and created another before being sent off for two bookable offences.

Reid has dropped his interest in Anderlecht's Jan Koller, but remains determined to bring in a tall target man in the summer - and Crouch fits the bill.

QPR are desperate to keep the England youth international, but are embroiled in a financial crisis and would be unable to resist a £3 million offer at the end of the season.

Sunderland regard the 20-year-old as an ideal candidate to eventually take over from Quinn, who has been troubled by a back injury this season.

Reid hopes that the Eire international will be able to play for at least two more seasons, giving Crouch the opportunity to learn from him.

Macclesfield-born Crouch, who weighs a little over 11 stones, started his career at Tottenham before former White Hart Lane boss Gerry Francis took him to Rangers last July.

Francis intended to use him as a squad player, but Crouch soon established himself as a First Division regular and has been one of their few successes this season.

Ironically, Reid's interest in Crouch comes as he is being impressed by the progress of three of his young strikers.

Kevin Kyle is playing well in the reserves, while Reid has been delighted by the form of on-loan pair Michael Proctor and Michael Reddy.

"Kevin could be top-class," Reid said yesterday. "I think he looks at Niall Quinn and learns from him. When you see some of the things he does, you can tell he's been watching Quinny.

"Michael Proctor has gone to Halifax, settled in and started scoring goals, while the people at Swindon love Michael Reddy.

"It's a healthy position to be in from a squad point of view. We have some good players coming through."

Meanwhile, Reid is still monitoring Parlour's situation after failing in a £6m bid to sign the midfielder last summer.

Parlour was tempted to join Sunderland after being told about the club by former Highbury teammate Steve Bould, but manager Arsene Wenger blocked the deal.

Now Reid is hoping that Wenger might think again as he reshapes the Arsenal squad before the start of next season.

Parlour fits the profile of one of the players that Reid wants to bring in this summer. He said: "Ideally I want a right-sided player who can go past people and I'm looking at bringing in a striker and a midfielder.

Reid is likely to be without midfielder Alex Rae for the rest of this season because of an Alan Shearer-style injury.

Rae has been sidelined since February because of tendinitis in a knee - the same problem which has kept Shearer out of Newcastle's recent matches.

Now Rae has broken down again in training and will visit a specialist to find out if he needs an operation that will end his season.

It's a massive setback for the 31-year-old midfielder who was on the verge of a Scotland call-up before picking up the injury.