Sunderland facing a battle to keep Alan Hutton

Apr 20 2010 by Stuart Rayner, The Journal

SUNDERLAND will be frustrated if they hope to quickly make right-back Alan Hutton’s loan from Tottenham permanent.

The Scotland international has impressed since joining the Black Cats in January, and Steve Bruce would love to make him his first signing of the summer.

With Harry Redknapp telling chairman Daniel Levy Hutton is not part of his plans, a swift exit would seem on the cards.

But the two clubs are a long way away on price, and Redknapp is believed to have asked his chairman to hold firm until Spurs’ valuation is met.

Redknapp is determined to recoup most if not all of the £9m Juande Ramos paid Rangers for the 25-year-old in January 2008. The Black Cats are only prepared to pay around £6m.

A game of cat and mouse seems certain to follow between two clubs who have done a lot of business with one another over the last few years, mainly in a northerly direction.

Newcastle United have also been linked with a move for Hutton – suspiciously by master wheeler-dealer Redknapp.

The Magpies have denied the link and anyway would not be willing or able to meet Spurs’ asking price, never mind come close to matching the wages Hutton is currently on.

It is hard to see any club taking Hutton at the £9m price tag that takes no account of the drastic downturn in football finances since Tottenham bought a player they have since lost faith in.

Striker Kenwyne Jones says Hutton has fitted well into the team spirit at the Stadium of Light, and would like to see him join permanently. “It’s up to the people at the top of the club,” he commented. “For him to stay his performances had to tell and that’s a decision for the board.