SUNDERLAND boss Steve Bruce will have to repel a double swoop from Liverpool after the Anfield club last night signalled their intention to pursue both Lee Cattermole and Jordan Henderson.

Liverpool officials are understood to have been in touch with their counterparts at the Stadium of Light to discuss a potential bid for both midfielders.

The interest in Henderson emerged yesterday morning, but while Kenny Dalglish is a strong admirer of the England Under-21 international, sources in the north west claim Cattermole is his primary target.

Indeed Liverpool’s interest in the Stockton-born midfielder is known to pre-date Dalglish’s return to Anfield as Liverpool scouts have been watching Cattermole for the last 18 months.

Bruce is aware of Liverpool’s interest in both players but is relucant to sell either given the number of new signings he is already looking to recruit this summer.

Liverpool, whose recruitment policy under Dalglish will be based around the purchase of young and developing talent, are ready to table a formal offer for Cattermole, having already hinted at at a £13m offer for Henderson.

It remains to be seen how much they are willing to offer for Cattermole, who cost Sunderland £6m when he moved from Wigan in August 2009.

Bruce is now facing a difficult few days, and his mood will not have been lightened by suggestions that the Black Cats have fallen behind in the pursuit of one of their leading transfer targets, with free agent David Vaughan edging towards a move to West Brom.

Vaughan has discussed his future with four clubs since the end of last season – Sunderland, the Baggies, Rangers and his current employers, Blackpool, who have offered him a new three-year deal at Bloomfield Road.

Sunderland are understood to have offered the most lucrative deal, but Vaughan spent his formative years at Crewe Alexandra and a move to the Hawthorns would enable the 28-year-old to remain in his family home.

He is still to make a final decision on his future, but sources close to the Wales international suggest Bruce will need all his powers of persuasion to lure him to the North-East.

Whatever happens, Vaughan will not be a replacement for either Henderson or Cattermole.

While Liverpool’s intetest in Cattermole is not unexpected, the club’s admiration for Henderson is slightly more of a surprise.

The midfielder, who has also caught the eye of both Manchester clubs and Arsenal in the last 12 months, is currently preparing to represent England in the European Under-21 Championships in Denmark.

Bruce has previously spoken of building his midfield around Henderson, while chairman Niall Quinn is reluctant to sanction the departure of more of his club’s leading players, having already agreed to sell Darren Bent to Aston Villa for £24m in January.

Mindful to avoid the tag of being a ‘selling club’, Sunderland would rather focus their attentions on luring players to the Stadium of Light this summer.

Bruce has already accepted the need to sign “six or seven players” before the transfer window closes, and the departure of Henderson and Cattermole would merely add another complexity to the recruitment programme.

Sunderland-born Henderson started all bar one of his side’s Premier League matches last season, and while he only scored three goals, two of them – April’s double against Wigan – were arguably the Black Cats’ two most important goals of the campaign.

Henderson’s local roots are another factor behind Sunderland’s determination to do all they can to keep him, along with a belief that the midfielder is still capable of significant improvement given that he has only just completed his second season at senior level.

There is, however, still plenty of the transfer window in which things could change, and Sunderland’s stance could alter if one of two things was to occur.

The first relates to Henderson’s frame of mind. As a born and bred Wearsider, the youngster displayed no desire to leave Sunderland when he was linked with both Manchester United and Manchester City earlier this year, but the Black Cats would find themselves in a difficult position if he was to return from his international duties demanding a transfer.

And while it might be a coincidence, the timing of this week’s declaration of Liverpool’s interest, with Henderson set for at least a fortnight out of Sunderland’s control, has caused eyebrows to raise.

The other scenario that could see the Black Cats more willing to sanction a sale would involve an offer way above the £13m that has been suggested as Liverpool’s starting bid.