Spanish giants Real Madrid are among the four top clubs chasing after the signature of Asamoah Gyan from Sunderland, reports in English newspapers have revealed.
The Ghana striker's former Italian club Udinese have entered the race to re-sign the player, according to the report in the Daily Mail.
They face competition from Tottenham, Fiorentina and Zenit St Peterburg.
Coach Jose Mourinho, who has a good relationship with African players, is looking for a striker after Real Madrid failed to reach an agreement over a permanent deal for Manchester City's Emmanuel Adebayor.
Mourinho in the past has signed two players from Gyan's agent Fabian Pivateau and that could pave the way for a deal for Gyan after the Frenchman helped to transfer Michael Essien and Sulley Muntari when the Portuguese coach was at Chelsea and Inter Milan respectively.
The Italian club Udinese, who qualified for this year's Champions League, are looking to invest the £35million from the imminent sale of Chile international Alexis Sanchez.
And Gyan, who had five years with Udinese at the start of his career, has emerged as their number one target.
Although he scored 10 goals for Sunderland last season, Steve Bruce may be prepared to sell if clubs will match the club record £13million paid to Rennes less than a year ago.
Bruce has already signed strikers Connor Wickham and Ji Dong-Won this summer and he remains interested in Jermain Defoe, Shane Long and Stuttgart's Russia international Pavel Pogrebnyak.