New players

Quote from the Sunday People

Sunderland supremo Ellis Short will back boss Steve Bruce and give him money for SIX new players.

But the Black Cats chief must turn round his reshaped team’s fortunes quickly or face the chop – with Martin O’Neill red-hot *favourite to get the call if he fails.

The American owner and Bruce have agreed a plan to try to avoid a repeat of the horror run of *results in the second half of this *season’s campaign.

Wigan’s £12million-rated Charles N’Zogbia, 24, tops Bruce’s wishlist and he may also ask his former club about left-back Maynor Figueroa, 28.

French striker Kevin Gameiro, 23, also being watched by Tottenham and Newcastle, is in the frame and would also cost about £12m from Lorient. Bruce will make a final personal check on him, possibly this week.

Sunderland are chasing a couple of free agents, with Cardiff *contract rebel Jay Bothroyd, 29, close to signing, and Manchester United’s Michael Owen, 31, still a target.

The Sunderland boss knows he needs more firepower after Darren Bent moved to Aston Villa in January. He faces *losings of Danny Welbeck, on loan from Manchester United, and Fraizer Campbell is *likely to miss most of next season after a knee op.

Bruce hopes Welbeck will be allowed to stay and that Manchester City will let Nedum Onuoha *return. The former Latics chief has *endured a nightmare run on Wearside but is adamant this is down to an *“incredible” *injury list.

Bruce said: “I was the right man for the job back in January when *everything was hunky dory, and what has changed?

“It’s as bad as I have ever known and as far as injuries go. We had ten players *missing at Bolton yesterday and, *arguably, nine of those would have been in the team if fit. It’s incredible.”

One morsel of comfort from the club’s slump is that both *Manchester clubs *appear to be losing interest in *midfielder Jordan Henderson.

The 20-year-old looked certain to heading for the exit but is now set to stay.

Pleased to give Henderson more time
Hope a lot of this is true and that Ellis is going to spend some money
I would also like to see the Stadium getting 45,000 regularly next year.

 

my one quote the stadium will get full if the team plays every game with passion and belief

 

I think the key is getting Welbeck back, he has been superb when fit this season and he the sort of player who can create something out of nothing, I would personally like to see a permanent deal for him rather than a loan deal but if that the only way we get him so be it. Zog on one wing, Hendo on the other and Sess behind Gyan would be very promising I think.

 

nothing there to get excited about, exept maybe gameiro, but i know little about him...

 

Would still like Samba and two proven strikers.

 

Sounds good to me that, Sess needs a 'free' role, he can cause havoc, i love watching him now as he settles and gets stronger.

 

Zog does excite me, Bothroyd is totally unproven at the top level, Guemeiro is decent but a little fella like Super Kev and works better of a target man, figeoura is a reasonably competent premier league left back but is better than no left back, which is our state of play at the moment. Does Owen even play football now? Hopefully it is true that Ellis is ready to rumble in the summer, but few of those players mentioned (and probably paper talk) get me jumping out of my seat. I'm not being delusional, I just want more for the lads.

 

I'd take Bothroyd. We can't afford 2 or even 3 top strikers on top of the other players we want to bring in like N'Zog so Bothroyd would be a very decent signing IMO. Just checked his stats for tis season and he has 20 goals and 8 assists. Respectable stats and being 6ft something he'd be able to hold up the ball and head it down for the likes of Gyan and Sess.

As for Owen....not a chance!! He's injured 99% of the time and when he's played for Man Utd he's look 1/4 of the player he was at Liverpool.

N'Zogbia...yes please. Nothing more to say other than SESS - GYAN - N'ZOGBIA.....

 

I wouldn't mind a new manager as well like

 

Think we need a foil for Gyan and I'm not sure Sess would work against all opponents, therefore a plan B is needed. Perhaps Bothroyd would answer that need. I can't say as I haven't seen much of him but we need options up front. Sess and Gyan (if he stays) could be one, Gyan and Bothroyd with Sess behind or on the wing could be another. It would be very nice to see Welbeck in the range of options as well.
Just hope we're not caught short like this season and the close season is productive in the transfer market.