Middlesbrough are battling West Ham for Sunderland striker Josh Maja, according to reports in the English media.

Boro are reportedly keen on the 20-year-old who has scored 15 goals in League One for the Black Cats this season.

Maja’s contract is expiring in the summer and Sunderland are weighing up whether to sell up this month or let him leave in the summer for a nominal fee.

However, West Ham could look to hijack Middlesbrough attempts to buy the forward in January by proposing to sign the player before loaning him back to the Wearsiders.

Sunderland are believed to want £3m for Maja, and it is believed they would be happy to go along with the Hammers’ offer to have him back on loan so he could spearhead their promotion challenge in the third tier.

Middlesbrough would want to persuade them otherwise, though, with Rangers, Celtic, Cardiff City and Crystal Palace also reportedly interested in the striker.