McCarthy faces race to land Healy

Sunderland boss Mick McCarthy is facing a race against time to make transfer target Colin Healy an offer he cannot refuse.

McCarthy has already held talks with the 23-year-old Republic of Ireland midfielder, who is available after his contract at Celtic expired.

However, he admits he can do nothing until he manages to reduce his existing squad beyond the handful of departures which have already taken place, and that could prove a major stumbling block.

“Colin Healy is someone I like and someone I have spoken to,” the former Republic manager told the club’s official website, www.safc.com.

“He would interest me when I’m in a position to get new faces.

“Right now, I can’t do that, but I’m encouraged by the reaction I get when I do get on the phone about players. Their reaction is what I would expect, that they see Sunderland as a great place to be.

“I’m a realist and I know our situation. If players I would like end up going elsewhere, then they go elsewhere and I’ll work with what I’ve got.

“But I have to move people out before there are slots to bring some in.”

Healy has been capped nine times by his country, but started just 27 games in his four years at Parkhead.

He is the calibre and character of player in which McCarthy is interested, but with Sunderland desperately battling to cut debts in excess of £26m (€37.7m), there is little he can do until the potential buyers come calling.

Kevin Phillips and Thomas Sorensen remain his prize assets and both seem certain to be playing their football away from Wearside next season.

But as that, there has been no concrete offer for either despite Middlesbrough monitoring Phillips’ situation and a series of clubs having been linked with the Dane.

Michael Gray, Gavin McCann, Claudio Reyna and youngster Matt Piper are among those players to attract interest, but again, there has been no positive move.

Swiss full-back Bernt Haas is due to meet West Brom after the two clubs agreed a £500,000 (€725,000) fee yesterday, and McCarthy will hope that starts the ball rolling.