West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce has confirmed the English Premier League club have made enquiries about signing Asamoah Gyan in January.
Allardyce's side are short of attacking options due to Andy Carroll's long-term injury-enforced absence.
West Ham are keen on taking the Ghana captain on loan until the end of the season.
The 28-year-old, who has hit a purple patch of scoring form in the United Arab Emirates Arabian Gulf League, has identified by the London-based club.
"We'll be linked with anybody that's a centre forward that might be coming back into the country," Allardyce said.
"If there's a player of any sort of quality we try and find out what the situation might be - but it is nothing more than that."
Gyan played one-and-half seasons for Sunderland before leaving for Al Ain in 2012.