League One side Sunderland have been linked with an audacious swoop for Connor Wickham, the Crystal Palace striker currently struggling for minutes in the Premier League.

Wickham has played just once for Palace this season, coming on as a last-minute substitute, but has otherwise been an observer as they've struggled for goals.

He joined the Eagles from Sunderland for a fee thought to be £7m in 2015, four years after signing for the Black Cats from Ipswich for £8m. Since breaking through as a teenager at Portman Road he's struggled to make an impact anywhere he's played.

It seems he is now a target not only for Jack Ross, but also Tony Pulis at Boro. They would be the likely favourites, but with Sunderland in the hunt there might be an element of concluding unfinished business for the 25-year old.

We look at two reasons why this would be the perfect deal and two reasons why it might be one to avoid.

Wickham might now have had impact in the Premier League, but surely in League One he would be a big fish in a little pond.

He would doubtless get amongst the goals and be incredibly effective for the Black Cats.

The cost has to be a stumbling block. There's no way Sunderland are going to spend £1m on a striker, not with Charlie Wyke coming back to fitness.

If he moves to them it'll be on loan with a view to accumulating value for Palace to hold a summer auction.

He is still a young player, he's been around for ages but at 25 the best football of his career could be ahead of him.

If there was a way to do a permanent deal, his value could shoot up very quickly indeed. One decent season, maybe even six months of goals would see him become a big name once more.

Where would he fit? Sunderland have Wyke to come back, Maja scoring for fun and Maguire backing up in the middle of the attacking three.

There's Jerome Sinclair too, and with Watmore, McGeady and Gooch all vying for a place in the four man attack, we can't see where Wickham would fit.

Besides, Jack Ross already said he wouldn't be bothered if there were no moves at all this summer.