Black Cats back in Hunt for Stephen

Jun 25 2009 by Luke Edwards, The Journal

SUNDERLAND are prepared to launch a fourth attempt to sign Reading’s Irish international midfielder Stephen Hunt, despite repeatedly failing to persuade him to move to Wearside.

Hunt has been a long-standing Black Cats target and was top of Roy Keane’s wanted list at one stage as he looked to add some much-needed creativity to a pedestrian midfield.

However, relations between the two clubs slowly soured as Reading reacted angrily to what they believed to be deliberately underhand attempts to unsettle the winger, to such an extent that they refused to do business with the Wearsiders last summer.

In turn, Hunt was unwilling to demand a transfer and Sunderland were forced to look elsewhere.

Steed Malbranque eventually arrived from Tottenham Hotspur as part of the package which also brought Pascal Chimbonda and Teemu Tainio to the Stadium of Light.

Those differences, though, should not be a problem this summer with the two managers previously involved in the spat, Keane and Reading’s Steve Coppell, no longer at their respective clubs.

Hunt’s position has also changed dramatically and the 27-year-old, who has been remarkably loyal to Reading considering the interest in him from top-flight clubs, has already publicly revealed his intention to find a Premier League side following the Royals’ costly failure in the play-off semi-final last month.

Significantly, Sunderland’s new manager Steve Bruce has also

tried to sign the former Brentford player in the past, failing with a January bid while at Wigan as Hunt was willing to remain a Reading player while they had the chance of making an immediate return to the Premier League.

A bid of around £5m should be enough to persuade Reading to sell as Bruce starts to step up his planned recruitment drive, having returned from a family holiday in Portugal.

Although Tottenham’s Darren Bent remains Bruce’s first-choice option as he looks to bolster his attacking strength following the decision not to sign Djibril Cissé on a permanent basis from Olympique Marseille, Sunderland have also made an enquiry about Hunt’s team-mate Kevin Doyle.

Doyle has a £6.5m release clause in his contract and will also be sold this summer as Reading look to cash in on their most saleable assets following their failed promotion bid.

Like Hunt, Doyle has become a regular member of the Ireland squad during his time with the Royals and scored 18 goals in the Championship last season.

The 25-year-old has already attracted interest from a number of clubs and was due to talk to both Fulham and newly-promoted Wolverhampton Wanderers this week. Bolton Wanderers are also expected to submit a formal bid before the end of the week.

However, Sunderland have also entered the race and will hope to convince both players their futures will be better served in the North East under Bruce.

The Black Cats have also been linked with an £8.5m bid for Tottenham midfielder Tom Huddlestone following reports Spurs have accepted three separate offers for the England Under-21 international.

Cisse appears to have given up hope of extending his stay in England and is on the verge of signing for Panathinaikos for £6.8million.

The former Liverpool striker scored 10 goals during a loan spell at Sunderland last season, but the Wearsiders decided against paying the £6m necessary to make his transfer from Marseille permanent.

The 27-year-old had claimed interest from Tottenham Hotspur, while Stoke City have also been linked, but the France international was last night considering a four-year contract from last season’s Greek League runners-up.

Meanwhile, Manchester City have denied they have received any bids for captain Richard Dunne, despite earlier claims that Sunderland had tabled an offer more than a fortnight ago.