Steve Bruce’s Money Would Kick Start Arsene’s Overdue Regeneration Scheme

Whilst out and about in the Sunderland branch of a well-known supermarket, I came across a shopping list written on the back of an envelope. It read;

Leeks
Onions
lean minced pork
Nicklas Bendtner
Charles N’Zogbia

It would appear to be a copy of Steve Bruce’s shopping list. The Sunderland manager is keen to recruit quality players during the summer, and it looks like N’Zogbia and Bendtner are his two targets.

Bruce wants Bendtner to lead the Sunderland line following Darren Bent’s controversial £24 million move to Aston Villa in January. Sunderland are desperate to recruit a big target man centre-forward, as Bruce feels the Black Cats are lacking attacking options up-front. With the current trend in the Premier League favouring tall, strong centre-forwards, Bendtner would be an ideal recruit for Bruce as his Sunderland team look to compete next season.

Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn is ready to back the move financially, and told reporters ‘I hope the traditional No.9 is back in fashion. We do want that part of the pitch covered.’ It seems the success of players like Andy Carroll has shown clubs across the country that there is still a place for ‘old-fashioned centre-forwards’ in the modern game. Bendtner would fit the bill for Bruce’s team.

The big Dane worked with Bruce whilst on loan at Birmingham, a club where he made 42 appearances scoring 11 goals. Bruce is also considering a move for another Birmingham old-boy, Charles N’Zogbia. Now at Wigan, the French midfielder has been having a good season with the Latics, and has been linked with a move away from the DW already this season. Sunderland’s North-East rivals Newcastle, have already attempted to sign the 24 year old, but there approach was reportedly laughed off by Wigan chairman Dave Whelan.

The speculation surrounding his future has apparently unsettled N’Zogbia, and he’s rumoured to want away from Wigan at the end of the season.

As for Bendtner, he has been linked with a move to just about everywhere, with either the Bundesliga or Blackburn being his likely destination. It’s pretty much common knowledge, that the big Danish striker will not be at the Emirates next season. Bendtner is just one of a host of players who Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is supposedly planning to sell over summer, as the Gunners look to raise a £40 million war-chest to bring in some ‘Big Name’ signings.

Gael Clichy, Emmanuel Eboue, Denilson and Sebastian Squillaci have all been linked with moves away from the Emirates. Clichy has been attracting the attention of some big clubs across Europe, with Real Madrid and Juventus apparently keen to sign the defender, as he stalls on contract talks.