BLACKBURN'S Premiership rivals Sunderland are weighing up a £3m New Year bid for Jason Roberts.

Black Cats boss Roy Keane will be handed a reported £20m war chest when the January transfer window swings open in a couple of weeks' time as he bids to keep the Wearsiders in the top flight of English football.

Goals have been a major problem for Sunderland - they have scored just 15 league goals this season - and sources in the North East say Keane sees Roberts as the man to add much-needed firepower to his mis-firing front line.

Derby, managed by Paul Jewell - who took Roberts to Wigan - have also been reported as potential suitors for the 29-year-old hitman.

The former Latics boss is all too aware of Roberts' capabilities after the striker scored 43 goals in 103 appearances at the JJB.

It won't be the first time that Roberts has attracted interest from other Premier League clubs.

In July this year, Rovers turned down a bid, believed to be in the region of £2.5m, from Fulham.

But Rovers chairman John Williams told the Lancashire Telegraph last night that manager Mark Hughes sees the Grenadan international as a vital component of his armoury.

He said: "I'm not aware of any interest and, in my opinion, we would want to keep him at the club."

Roberts arrived at Ewood Park in the summer of 2006 in a £3m move from Wigan but has struggled to make an impact on the side.

A combination of injuries and the form of the other strikers on the books at Ewood Park has seen Roberts' participation limited to just 37 appearances in all competitions, scoring seven goals in the process.

He has hit the net twice this season, with both goals coming in the Intertoto Cup against FK Vetra and MyPa-47.

But Rovers fans will fondly remember the goal he scored in the FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea last season - a game that Rovers eventually lost 2-1.