LIVERPOOL have tested Sunderland’s resolve to keep hold of skipper Lee Cattermole by tabling a formal offer for the Black Cats midfielder.
The Journal understands that the Reds, who also have an interest in Jordan Henderson, opened the bidding for Cattermole yesterday.
They have a long-standing interest in the former England Under-21 man, with North East scout Alan Harper having watched Sunderland several times over the final weeks of the season. And while it was presumed their primary target was Academy graduate Henderson, it is Cattermole who has emerged as Kenny Dalglish’s main priority.
It is now up to Sunderland to decide whether to accept the offer – believed to be in the region of £10m – but the situation could be complicated by a release clause in Cattermole’s contract that would allow him to talk to clubs if a bid of significant size was tabled.
Cattermole will certainly be conflicted. He was keen on a move to Liverpool when their interest was mooted during his Wigan days, and the lure of Anfield will again be compelling for the ambitious 23-year-old.
But he knows that he owes a debt of gratitude to Steve Bruce, who stuck by him after he was sent off twice in the early weeks of last season. What is certain is that Bruce will not be happy to have Liverpool sniffing around his two most prized midfielders within weeks of the end of the season.
Wearside woke up to headlines yesterday morning regarding the Reds’ interest in Henderson, with reports raising the possibility of a £13m offer for the midfielder.
That was met with a robust message from the Stadium of Light that their interest would not be welcome. A bid of £20 million – far in excess of Liverpool’s valuation – will be required before Sunderland even entertain the prospect of selling one of their prize assets.
Bruce signed off the season focused on recruitment rather than releasing players and on that front there appeared to be bad news yesterday.
Blackpool midfielder David Vaughan, one of Sunderland’s main summer targets, appears to be edging towards a move to West Brom. Vaughan is coveted by Rangers, Albion and the Black Cats but has told friends that he wants to be close to his family in North Wales, which rules out Sunderland. Meanwhile, Simon Mignolet has saluted Sunderland for helping him progress his international ambitions. The Black Cats goalkeeper will retain his place for Belgium’s crunch Euro 2012 qualifier with Turkey – his second appearance for the senior side since last summer’s £1million move from St Truiden.
He said: “If I was still playing in Belgium for my old team, the manager wouldn’t be thinking about me. The team is too small for first-choice players from Belgium. When you’re playing in the Premier League week-in, week-out, the manager (Georges Leekens) knows how tough the league is. He knows if I’m doing well, he can put me in the team.
“The Belgium manager has seen me play for Sunderland and seen the big difference between last year in Belgium.”
