Reports in Germany suggest the Black Cats are interested in taking Scharner on loan until the end of the season from SV Hamburg.
The Austrian international signed a lucrative two-year deal with Hamburg after leaving West Brom on a free transfer, but has featured in just four league games.
Paul Scharner: “There is interest from a Premier League club and in the coming days, it will be made concrete.
“As a professional you want to play. I have not had a lot of opportunities here so of course, this is interesting to me.”
Scharner has plenty of Premier League experience after making more than 200 top-flight appearances during six years with Wigan and then West Brom.