SUNDERLAND have turned down a bid by Burnley to sign want-away striker Andy Gray.

I understand the Clarets have approached the Premiership club several times now with a view to taking Gray on loan.

Championship rivals Derby County also made an attempt to land the 28-year-old, who has endured a torrid time at the Stadium of Light since joining from Sheffield United for £1.1million last summer.

However Black Cats boss Mick McCarthy, who was willing to sell Gray during the January transfer window, has blocked both club's attempts to sign the striker as he is currently sidelined with an Achilles injury.

Burnley boss Steve Cotterill, formerly assistant boss at Sunderland, this week vowed to use his limited funds wisely as he balances ambition with the reality that a play-off position now looks highly unlikely.

And having been turned away on several occasions, he may now look elsewhere to bolster his squad for the remaining 12 league games of the season.

Gray began his career at Leeds United, before joining Nottingham Forest in 1998. He scored just one goal in 41 starts at the City Ground and, after spells on loan with Preston and Oldham, signed for Bradford City on a free transfer.

The goals then flowed for the six-foot striker, who scored 21 goals in 81 for the Bantams to earn a move to Bramall Lane, where he found the net a further 28 times in 63 starts.

However, Gray has struggled since his move to the north east, scoring once in 21 Premiership outings and revealing he would welcome a fresh start elsewhere.