FANS favourite Julio Arca last night insisted he is happy to stay at Sunderland despite speculation linking him with a move away from the club.

Portsmouth are the latest in a long line of clubs interested in taking the silky skilled Argentine away from Wearside.

Pompey boss Harry Redknapp is believed to have tested the debt-ridden club's resolve with a cheeky £1.5m offer in a bid to prise the club's most saleable asset away from the Stadium of Light, only to see it turned down.

Cash-strapped Black Cats manager Mick McCarthy revealed last week he is trying his utmost to bring in new faces but, raising funds by selling his most valuable commodity for a pittance would not be high on his list of priorities.

Arca, meanwhile, revealed he knew little of Pompey's interest, and although flattered, he says he has no plans to leave Sunderland.

"I have another year's contract here and I would like to stay," said the 24-year-old midfielder. "But it all depends what the club needs to do if we get relegated and if they need to sell players or not, or they want to bring more players in and make the team better than now.

"I don't know what's going to happen to be honest, but I want to stay here another season and see what happens.

"Of course I'm happy - that's why I've been here for about six years already. I'm happy to stay, but I cant predict my future at the moment."

Speculation has raged over Arca's future ever since Peter Reid brought the South American to the club from Argentinos Juniors in a £3.5m deal in 2000 but, he is still remains on Wearside.

Arca signed a new two-year contract last season and hinted he would quite happily put pen to a new deal when the current one runs out at the end of next term.

"To be honest, I know as much as you about it (the transfer talk)," he added. "Nobody has contacted me at the moment.

"I'm not thinking about going anywhere. I'll just try to help Sunderland and finish my season here and then see what happens, see if we get relegated or not and decide what's going to happen with me."

Kevin Kyle's return to competitive action last night may have provided some welcome relief throughout the Stadium of Light corridors but, when one door opens another seems to close on the fortunes of McCarthy's men.

The club has been hit by news that George McCartney could be ruled out for the rest of the season.

The 24-year-old fullback has suffered a setback in his recovery from a hamstring injury.

McCartney, who admitted he probably aggravated the injury by playing on it last season, had an operation to rectify the problem in September.

It had been planned for McCartney step up his rehabilitation programme later this month with a run out for the reserves only for the Northern Ireland international to complain about more pain in his hamstring.

The initial operation indicated the defender would be sidelined for up to six months. McCarthy said he couldn't put a timescale on the latest setback.

He said: "He felt some pain in his hamstring and we're having a close look at it.

"He had no problem at all before that and it had been plain sailing for him. I don't know how much of a setback it will be.

"We had hoped that he might have been back in training with us later this month, and that may well be the case.

"But if he is feeling any kind of pain or discomfort then that won't happen."

l Sunderland's postponed Premiership match at Blackburn has been re-arranged for Wednesday, February 15.

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