Bruce keen to land Bent and Crouch (From The Northern Echo)

Bruce keen to land Bent and Crouch

9:31am Wednesday 8th July 2009 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
• Comments(0)

SUNDERLAND are hoping Harry Redknapp’s lack of funds will aid Steve Bruce’s pursuit of Darren Bent and Peter Crouch.

Redknapp has been told he will not be able to invest until he has sold players to boost his transfer budget.

The Spurs manager is keen to sign Crouch a second time having lured him to Portsmouth last summer, but he must sell to buy.

With Sunderland interested in taking Bent from White Hart Lane, Redknapp would like to negotiate a deal for the former Ipswich and Charlton striker.

The problem, however, is that both clubs have an interest in Crouch, and a deal for Bent could have serious implications in Sunderland’s attempts to land the Portsmouth man.

Redknapp would prefer to sell Bent after Crouch has signed, but Sunderland are in a strong position to bring both to Wearside.

Sunderland are believed to have tabled a £14m bid for Crouch, but any deal for the England striker has been delayed because of Portsmouth’s ongoing takeover problems.

Meanwhile, Blackburn Rovers boss Sam Allardyce is interested in taking Ricky Sbragia to Ewood Park.

Sbragia, who resigned as manager at the end of last season, has been offered a recruitment role on Wearside, but he is thought to prefer a coaching post.

Having worked with Sbragia at Bolton, Allardyce is considering for the role of first team coach at Ewood Park.

■ Sunderland season ticket holders can apply for tickets to the pre-season away game at Celtic. The game at Celtic Park is a 3pm kick off on August 1, the fifth game of Steve Bruce’s first pre-season in charge at Sunderland.

Applications must be submitted by 5pm on Wednesday, July 15 and can be made in writing, quoting membership number, or via www.safc.com.

Tickets are £20 for adults and £10 for over 65s/under16s. Remaining tickets go on general sale from 10am on July 20.

■ Chelsea have confirmed the signing of Yuri Zhirkov from CSKA Moscow on a three-year contract.

The 25-year-old Russia leftback completed the deal yesterday and the player quickly expressed his delight at moving to the Blues.

Although Chelsea have not revealed the fee, it is understood to be around £18m.

Inter Milan, meanwhile, have given up on signing Chelsea pair Ricardo Carvalho and Deco.

The duo had been linked with a move to the San Siro where they would link up with former Porto coach Jose Mourinho.

Reports suggested Inter sent a representative to London to talk with Chelsea about a possible deal for the two Portuguese players, but the Italians’ transfer consultant Lele Oriali insisted that was untrue.

He said: ‘‘Inter don’t need emissaries, the president didn’t send anyone and neither did I. Having had the fortune of being able to speak directly with Chelsea the asking price is too high.”