Bruce on high after capturing Wickham

SUNDERLAND boss Steve Bruce could not hide his delight yesterday after snatching teenage striker Connor Wickham from under the noses of his more illustrious suitors.

Big-spending Liverpool, the club the 18-year-old Ipswich frontman has supported since he was a boy, as well as north London rivals Arsenal and Tottenham, have long been credited with an interest in the Ipswich player.

However, amid speculation that one of them might attempt to hijack the Black Cats’ swoop for him after they showed their hand last night with an £8.1million bid, the Wearside club made sure their move was decisive by tying him up in a four-year deal to leave Bruce beaming.

He said: “A number of top sides have been chasing Connor for some time now, so naturally we are absolutely delighted he has chosen to come to Sunderland.

“He’s still very young, but at 6ft 3ins he’s a physical presence. With his height and style of play, he will offer us a threat in front of goal and complement our existing strikers.

“We have been watching him for a while now and he is improving and developing all the time. He’s a great prospect and I’m sure our supporters will love watching him play.”

Wickham’s fee could eventually rise to £12m depending on a series of add-ons, but Sunderland are confident they have got their hands on a player of genuine potential whose best days are ahead of him.

For his part, Wickham has admitted it did not take Bruce long to persuade him his future lay on Wearside.

He said: “Once the fee was agreed and I met with the manager, he basically told me everything about the club and the ambitions, and it was sold. Now everything is done and dusted, I just really can’t wait to get started.

“I am obviously relieved to have everything done. The weight has been lifted off my shoulders now.”