Black Cats boss Bruce reluctant to sign players for the sake of it

SUNDERLAND boss Steve Bruce will not spend for the sake of it in January as he targets the key men he believes will help take the club to the next level.

Bruce has twice broken the Black Cats’ record transfer fee during his 18 months to date at the Stadium of Light, to sign £10million England striker Darren Bent and Ghana counterpart Asamoah Gyan, who cost him in excess of £13million.

However, despite having been linked with the likes of Wigan’s Charles N’Zogbia, Manchester City’s Adam Johnson and Aston Villa winger Stewart Downing in recent weeks, he is not expecting to be too busy next month.

Bruce said: “We are in a position now where, to get better than what we have got — for instance, if there was X amount of pounds to spend, I would spend it on one player.

“I would think we are at that sort of level now. But to get a player like that, who I have in mind, they are simply not available. I wouldn’t have thought they are available, anyway.

“I don’t think the players we are looking for in January will be available, so if they are not available, I am not going to go and just add to the numbers.”

Bruce was not elaborating on the identities of the men in his sights, but it is understood he would jump at the chance to take N’Zogbia, Johnson or Downing to Wearside.

However, he is equally well aware that Wigan would want big money for the Frenchman, and that even if City or Villa were prepared to let their respective players go out for the remainder of the season, he has already used the two domestic loan signings he is allowed in Danny Welbeck and Nedum Onuoha.

There has been talk of making a permanent move for the City defender, who has impressed in recent weeks, but the manager admits that is unlikely.

He said: “There’s nothing brewing on that at all just yet. We haven’t had any real conversation with Manchester City.”

Meanwhile, Blackpool boss Ian Holloway is bracing himself for the prospect of clubs trying to “steal” some of his players in the January transfer window.

The Seasiders have won plenty of admirers so far in their maiden Barclays Premier League campaign, playing an entertaining brand of football and accruing an impressive 25 points from 17 fixtures to date following their surprise promotion.

Several members of Holloway’s squad have increased their stock and are likely to feature on some of his fellow managers’ wish lists for January, but the Bristolian — who made a clutch of signings in August — wants to keep the group he has assembled together as far as is possible.

“I really can’t tell you how it is going to go,” Holloway said.

“I don’t know if anyone is waiting in the wings to try and steal some of my players.”