Black Cats’ hopes of landing strikers are boosted

Jul 8 2009 by Steve Brown, The Journal

HOPES on Wearside of luring Peter Crouch and Darren Bent to the Stadium of Light have been boosted to varying degrees over the past 24 hours by a series of developments as far removed as the United Arab Emirates, and Blackburn.

Sunderland are understood to be readying a £14m bid for Portsmouth striker Crouch, while the Black Cats have already been given permission to enter talks with Tottenham Hotspur forward Bent.

But whereas completion of a move for the latter could be imminent given Spurs’ need to sell before they can begin their own summer recruitment drive, Black Cats boss Steve Bruce may be forced to wait for Crouch.

After a month of pan-European communication with Niall Quinn, scouts and agents, Bruce has begun work behind his new desk this week with players expected at the Academy of Light for the start of pre-season training this morning.

He had hoped his first week in situ would coincide with Pompey chief executive Peter Storrie’s return to work at Fratton Park, facilitating negotiations over Crouch, who has expressed discontent over the protracted nature of Sulaiman Al Fahim’s £60m takeover of the club.

However, having returned yesterday from a holiday in Portugal, Storrie jetted straight off to Abu Dhabi in the hope of concluding matters with Al Fahim as swiftly as possible.

It means any deal for Crouch – himself due back for pre-season training tomorrow – is on the back-burner for now, with a source at the south coast club describing it as being in a “state

of flux”. But at least that means any rival suitor is equally unlikely to steal Crouch from Sunderland.

Indeed, while the Pompey source told The Journal that AC Milan – who registered an interest last week – remains a possible destination for the 6ft 7in hitman, it seems Spurs’ need to raise funds before they can spend any could scupper any plans they have to hijack a move to Wearside, while Sam Allardyce has admitted Blackburn have already been priced out of the running.

“We think he is probably out of our reach and bigger clubs than Blackburn will take him if Portsmouth decide they are going to sell him,” the Ewood Park boss conceded. “No one has said to me from Portsmouth that he is for sale so we haven’t done anything.”

Of course, any exchange of cash that brings Bent north could inadvertently arm Spurs’ bid to snatch Crouch, but backed by Ellis Short’s transfer warchest, Bruce remains quietly confident of getting both men.

Less likely are fanciful reports on the Continent linking Sunderland with Valencia’s Spanish international winger Joaquin, though their interest in Richard Dunne has now been confirmed by Quinn.

“He is a player who is an excellent footballer, but he is a Man City player until they say any different and we stand in a line,” said Quinn.

“We are not the only admirers, but if there is a chink of light we will get through it if we can. We probably need a few men, a few spirited people to lift what we have and of course Richard Dunne would fit the bill.”

The Sunderland chairman is also in the process of persuading former manager Ricky Sbragia to accept a role heading up the club’s player recruitment, but while Blackburn are out of the running for Crouch, they are thought to be keen to reunite Sbragia with Allardyce, under whom he worked at Bolton.

Meanwhile, Coventry City are hopeful of taking Sunderland starlet Jordan Henderson back on loan. The 19-year-old made 13 appearances for the Sky Blues last season, scoring once.

Coventry boss Chris Coleman has already enquired about the possibility of Henderson spending a second, potentially longer spell at the Ricoh Arena.

“I put a call into Sunderland last week but Steve Bruce is still away,” he said.

“We have had contact with them and nothing has been decided, but we are still hopeful.”

l Tickets for Sunderland’s pre-season friendly against Darlington on Thursday, July 16 (KO 7.30pm) are on general sale, priced £10 for adults and £5 for juniors. They can be bought in person or over the phone from the Stadium of Light ticket office (0871 911 1973) or from Darlington’s main ticket office (0871 855 1883).