Italian Serie B club Genoa has emerged as a contender to sign unsettled Socceroo Mark Viduka

Viduka, 31, is a man in demand in the current transfer window, with Genoa joining Newcastle, West Ham and his current club Middlesbrough in competing for his services.

Viduka's deal at Boro is due to expire at season's end and while manager Gareth Southgate is eager to extend his contract, the club could be tempted to cash in now rather than let him leave on a free in the summer.

That would give Boro wage relief from Viduka's hefty reported contract of STG40,000 pounds ($A98,850.86) per week.

Premier League strugglers West Ham lead the list of bidders for Viduka, particularly since prime target Darren Bent of Charlton suffered a month-long knee injury on the weekend.

Former West Ham striker and current West Bromwich Albion targetman John Hartson is reportedly the Hammers' fall-back option should the Viduka deal not come off.

But now Genoa's reported bid could scupper the Hammers' ambitions.

Genoa may be in Serie B, but are only one point off the top of the table and is the oldest established club in Italy, holding a strong chance of making a belated return to Serie A next season.

Genoa is closer to Croatia - Viduka's ancestral home and the home of his wife Ivana.

Newcastle is eager to sign a striker during the current transfer window, with their star frontman Michael Owen expected to miss the entire season with a knee injury.

Viduka is among the contenders, along with Everton's James Beattie and Liverpool's Peter Crouch.

Newcastle has also been connected with a move for young Australian centre-back Patrick Kisnorbo of Leicester.

The Toon, and West Ham, are also in the queue for Socceroo star Lucas Neill, though Liverpool remains the most likely destination for the Blackburn defender.

AAP