No way back for shunned Marton Fulop

Jul 23 2010 by Luke Edwards, The Journal

STEVE Bruce has delivered a final snub to Márton Fülöp as he insisted there was no way back for the Hungarian international despite Craig Gordon’s injury setback.

Bruce is currently toying with the idea of signing England number one David James, but the deal is not advancing quickly as there is some doubt as to whether the club need to buy another goalkeeper. The Black Cats only signed young Belgian shot-stopper Simon Mignolet a few weeks ago and it is understood there is some resistance to the idea of bringing in another one so soon after spending £1.5m on a player who was supposed to offer cover for Gordon.

However, the availability of James and the injury to Gordon has tempted Bruce and there have been discussions with the player’s agent, Colin Gordon, about the possibility of a move, with claims yesterday the player’s representative is already in Portugal.

Bruce is understandably hesitant about throwing Mignolet straight

into Premier League action, while Trevor Carson is also untried at that level, but James will want a one-year contract at the very least and substantial wages for that period.

That would be an expensive bit of business, especially as Gordon may only be missing for the first six games of the season if his rehabilitation goes well.

As Sunderland’s best player over the course of the second half of last season, the Scotland international will expect to go straight back into the side when he has recovered from his broken arm, while James does not want to spend a season in the twilight of his career on the bench.

Although a supreme athlete, James will turn 40 on August 1 and Bruce may have to make do with what he has got until Gordon recovers, rather than risk upsetting anyone at the Stadium of Light.