latest from the echo

A canny long read, and not a lot we don't already know....


Steve Bruce close to five deals By Graeme Anderson
Published on Tuesday 14 June 2011 11:30


SUNDERLAND expect to make rapid progress on the transfer front in the next few days, with Ji Dong-Won and Darron Gibson’s moves close to completion, writes GRAEME ANDERSON.


With free transfers Keiren Westwood and Seb Larsson both likely to go through and striker David Ngog set to agree to move from Liverpool, boss Steve Bruce can hope to have five new recruits in the very near future.

Question marks remain over whether Manchester United’s Wes Brown and, in particular, John O’Shea will join Gibson in heading to the Stadium of Light.

But talks will be held with their agents this month in a bid to push the deals through and that could leave the Black Cats with seven new signings before the players return to training – eight if a move is done swiftly for Birmingham City midfield star Craig Gardner.

Supporters can then expect a lull in activity throughout July and until the impending closure of the transfer window arrives, at which point several genuinely big deals could be sanctioned.

Sunderland still want Wigan’s Charles N’Zogbia, but the Latics want a £10million-plus transfer fee, while the Frenchman’s wage demands would smash the club’s current pay structure.

On top of that, Sunderland remain in the market for a fourth striker. With Ji regarded as one for the future and Ngog’s record hardly prolific, Bruce could ask the club to approve a big-name signing as first-choice to partner Asamoah Gyan up front.

As things stand, the Westwood deal is past the post, with the Coventry keeper’s move already tied up and only the timing of his official unveiling to be decided. The player is currently on holiday.

The Black Cats are also on course to get their other Bosman target, Birmingham midfielder Larsson, although the dead-ball specialist is still attracting interest from elsewhere. Though Sunderland are favourites, that deal cannot be regarded as a foregone conclusion just yet.

Ngog has been pondering a move to Sunderland while on holiday, but the word from Liverpool is that he has decided to go through with the move on his return.

Gibson and Ji, though, are virtual certainties to arrive.

Gibson’s value is £5m in the £12m deal which Sunderland have agreed for their three Manchester United targets and the Republic of Ireland international is keen to sign after seeing his career wilt under the pressure of expectation at Old Trafford.

The 23-year-old would welcome a chance to play regularly and develop his talent away from an atmosphere where promising young players have such giants to measure up to when they successfully break into the first-team squad.

Sunderland are also close to announcing the signing of Korean striker Ji.

Reports in Asia say the Black Cats have agreed a deal worth up to £800,000 for the 20-year-old Chunnam Dragons frontman, who is expected to sign a three-year contract.

Ji has confirmed that he is heading for the Premier League, saying: “I hope to survive in the English Premier League as long as I can play like Manchester United’s Park Ji-Sung and I also want to be the ace of the team like Lee Chung-Yong at Bolton.”

A spokesman for the Dragons has confirmed that Ji is leaving, saying: “It is a great loss for us to lose him after having him only for one season and after spending many years to train him.

“If he returns to the K-League, he must return to the Chunnam Dragons.”

Meanwhile, Ipswich boss Paul Jewell has insisted there are no firm bids on the table for £9m-rated Sunderland target Connor Wickham.

Wickham could become the fourth striker at Sunderland after Ngog and Ji arrive and Bruce would love to have the Ipswich prodigy in his ranks – the Sunderland manager rates the 19-year-old Portman Road striker as the best prospect of his generation.

But Ipswich will not give up a player, whose potential they recognise, without a fight.

Blues boss Paul Jewell admits that several clubs have made enquiries about the England Under-21 man, but says no formal bids have been made.

Jewell said: “We’ve had enquiries, but enquiries don’t mean anything. I could ring up Barcelona and enquire about Lionel Messi, but it doesn’t mean I’ll get him.

“Connor is happy here and as far as we’re concerned he’ll be with us for next season. The good thing is that we don’t have to sell anyone

 

Good news, hope its true and we get these signed up then go for the two big ones, N'Zog and that big name striker.

 

What he said.

 

What you both said.

 

The problem is the release of the funds for the big name striker, secondly the name of the big name striker, I remember being told we were getting an internationally famous manager, was well chuffed, the speculation was rife, and while Quinnie didnt lie [ exactly ] you had to break the words down, to make the sentence work, internationally famous, Roy k most deffo was, then the manager bit, Roy s first management was Sunderland, put em together , you get internationally famous manager, big name striker? how might that be broken down? if the funds are released that is.

 

what all 3 of you said

 

Signing 8 players before the end of June would surely be closing in on a new record!!

They'd all do a job for us and then like the article says we could go out and spend money on a couple of key players come July/August. I'm very happy with these signings if they came off. Most of them have a good amount of premiership experience and would all enhance our team!

 

Supporters can then expect a lull in activity throughout July and until the impending closure of the transfer window arrives, at which point several genuinely big deals could be sanctioned.

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This bit is a concern, obviously the need to slash the wage bill seems to be the issue re: big money potential(s)
by this time will the target's have been snapped up by other teams by then? Or do we have reassurances from the selling club(s), that the assumed big deals are put aside for us when we are ready to do business?

We don't have the biggest of squads, and we also have average player's e.g McCarthy, K'gallon, it's amazing the wage bill can be so high.

 

With George Caulkin's article on your wages being at a worrying level do you reckon it'll have to be a case of sell before you buy (not to generate transfer funds but to free up what little wage allowance you have left?)

 

Muntari was on mega wages even just on loan so now he's gone that will have freed some funds up. The problem with our wages was Keane! The man who thought it was a good idea to give Nosworthy a contract extension, sign Kilgallon and worst of all he thought it was a good idea to give George McCartney a £40,000-a-week contract for a few years too. Once those players are off the books then we'll be fine.

 

We're in a very similar situation ourselves...reported wages; Colocinni 60-80k, Enrique 50k, Gutierrez 50k, Barton 60-70k, Nolan 60-70k, Smith 70k.

Will players like Gyan, Cattermole (still club captain?) Gordon and Sesegnon not be on top dollar as well?

The whole Premiership need to tighten their belts and wages seem like the most sensible place to do it. The only worry for us is, in trying to reduce the wage bill we lose the spine of the squad AND/OR replace them with lesser quality which in both cases is counter-productive!

 

Football is slowly waking up to financial reality and not before time.

We have 4 or 5 players to be eased out of the side door to allow better one in throught he front door.

Thats no different to practically every other club outside of maybe Man City and Chelski.

 

Chelsea an City will findd a way around the FIFA fair play rules... (image rights / off shore subsidiaries etc)