STEVE BRUCE has landed Sunderland’s second signing of the summer by signing Paraguay captain Paulo Da Silva.

The 29-year-old completed his move from the Mexican league, where he has been playing for Toluca, yesterday by signing a three-year deal.

Da Silva has more than nine years of international experience, earning 53 caps for his country.

Bruce remains in the market for another centre-back, despite a growing belief that Richard Dunne is no longer interested in leaving Manchester City. The acquisition of Da Silva also buys the Black Cats time to bring another defender in.

“I’m delighted to have signed a player of Paulo’s experience,”

said Bruce, who completed the signing of striker Fraizer Campbell over the weekend. “He is captain of his country and has played at the highest level in South America so will bring leadership qualities to our side.”

After early days in Paraguay with Atlantida Sport Club and Cerro Porteno, Da Silva spent time in Italy playing for Perugia, Venezia and Cosenza, with a spell at Argentinean club Lanus sandwiched in between.

And when he returned to Paraguay to play for Libertad in 2002, the year they won the league, he felt his chance to play in Europe had gone. But, after six successful years in Mexico, his dream has been fulfilled.

Da Silva made 196 appearances for Toluca and helped them to the league title in 2005 and 2008 and he was also part of the team that won the Mexican Super Cup three years ago.

He arrives on Wearside having been rated as the player of the year in Mexico last season, a year after he was voted as part of South American football’s Ideal Eleven.

Da Silva will now begin training with his new teammates, which will include Dean Whitehead and Daryl Murphy after the pair snubbed Roy Keane by turning down the chance to move to Ipswich Town.

Keane had agreed a fee for the pair, believed to be around £5m, towards the back end of last week and was expected to lure them to Suffolk.

However, the Irishman has confirmed neither were keen to head south from Wearside, where they are unlikely to fit into Bruce’s plans.

Keane said: “We did have two players in mind to bring to the club and were hopeful something could be sorted out last week, but that has not come to fruition.”

Hull City have denied making an approach for Murphy but are interested along with QPR, for a player destined to leave, particularly with Bruce pushing ahead with his pursuit of Peter Crouch.

There has been regular talks with Portsmouth for Crouch and there has also been an increased offer to Wigan for Lee Cattermole.

■ Sunderland’s trip to Manchester United will now be played at 5.30pm on Saturday, October 3 and will be broadcast live on ESPN.