Sunderland 2 Atletico Madrid 0 (From The Northern Echo)

Black Cats refuse to pay over odds for Darren Bent

10:45am Monday 27th July 2009 in Sunderland AFC News By Paul Fraser, Chief Football Writer

Sunderland 2 Atletico Madrid 0

TOTTENHAM have been warned to lower their valuation of Darren Bent or risk Sunderland dropping out of talks for the £14m-rated striker.

Portsmouth’s decision to accept an offer of around £10m from Spurs over the weekend for Peter Crouch means that Harry Redknapp could now do with cashing on Bent.

But while Sunderland – who ended the Amsterdam tournament with a 2-0 win over Atletico Madrid last night– have been tracking the forward for the best part of a year, manager Steve Bruce has hinted that he is ready to walk away from a possible deal.

Bruce and chairman Niall Quinn are not thought to be willing to meet the price-tag that Tottenham have put on Bent and rather than risk ending up without any deal he is considering his options.

“I don’t know if Tottenham’s deal for Crouch will help us,” said Bruce, after witnessing two goals from Kieran Richardson secure the win in the Amsterdam Arena last night.

“It’s one we are visiting but we can’t wait around forever.

We are still a bit short, way off in terms of valuation at the moment.

“We will look at it but if we can’t agree we can’t agree.

“We will move on to the next one but we cant go on forever.

“We are not making much headway.

“It might free up, I don’t know.”

Bruce wants to make further inroads on assembling his own team before this Saturday’s friendly at Celtic, which comes just two weeks before they are due to start the Premier League campaign at Bolton.

And while he has been encouraged by certain aspects of his players’ displays in the two matches in Holland, this remains very much Roy Keane’s team and that is why Bruce has been working hard on bringing in more new faces.

There is hope that Bent will arrive and both Fraizer Campbell and Lorik Cana are expected to start training with the squad at different stages this week.

If Bruce, who also remains interested in Bordeaux’s Marouane Chamakh, can pull off a deal for either of his striker targets he will then be somewhere near to the number of options he wants up front.

With Daryl Murphy among those he would like to sell, the Sunderland boss has only started with Kenwyne Jones operating as a lone striker.

And after missing a number of chances in the defeat to Benfica on Friday, Jones also failed to find the target inside 30 seconds last night, when he headed Steed Malbranque’s delivery on to the roof of the net.

The Trinidad & Tobago international also turned and hit a 25-yard snapshot later in the half, only for goalkeeper Roberto Jimenez to watch the ball roll inches wide.

Jimenez was posed a serious test moments later, though.

But his agility ensured that he was able to dive high to his left and tip over a rasping drive from Richardson destined for the top corner.

Richardson was not to be outdone.

As half-time neared, Malbranque was tripped by full-back Juan Valera to earn a penalty; a penalty Richardson cooly rolled into Jimenez’s bottom left.

Atletico had never threatened but when they did shortly after half-time Marton Fulop was equal to former Liverpool striker Florent Sinama- Pongolle’s attempt to lift the ball over him.

The Spanish outfit had more of the possession in the second half but they were unable to breakdown a defence that often had Jones heading away clearances, while Jordan Henderson performed solidly again in the holding role.

Standing firm against the occasional Atletico attack paved the way for Richardson to strike his second seven minutes before the end.

And it was a well worked goal, with Carlos Edwards’ pull back providing the perfect tee for Richardson to sidefoot in off the upright from 18 yards to secure the win.

“It has given them a bit of confidence,” said Bruce, linked with a move for 21-yearold Sedan full-back Paul Baysse.

“Kieran was terrific and he enjoys that role off the front.

“He looked a really good player and Kenwyne dovetailed with him well.

“I have known Kieran since he was 11.

“We know he has terrific ability, but the way he has worked over the last two weeks has been fantastic.

“He has to maintain those standards.

“He was very lively in that role and he took his goal well.

It was a really nice finish.”

Teams

SUNDERLAND (4-5-1): Fulop; Bardsley, Nosworthy, Ferdinand, Collins; Edwards, Henderson (Tainio 66), Leadbitter (Reid 71), Richardson (Healy 84), Malbranque (Stokes 77); Jones (Murphy 79). Subs (not used): Anderson, Carson.

ATLETICO MADRID (4-4-2): Roberto; Valera, Ujfalusi, Pablo, Koke; Reyes (Borja 70), Garcia, Jurado (Simao 10), Dominguez (Cabrera 55); Forlan (Aguero 46), Sinama (Pacheco 70). Subs (not used): Joel, Assuncao