Source: Daily_Mail
EXCLUSIVE: Sunderland turn attention to landing £6m Reo-Coker from Villa
Steve Bruce has identified Aston Villa's Nigel Reo-Coker to steel to Sunderland's midfield.
The 25-year-old is expected to leave Villa Park this summer after an uninspired two seasons with the Midlands club and has also been the subject of interest from Middlesbrough.
Bruce has pinpointed the heart of his midfield as an area that needs reshaping and has made a tenacious midfielder a priority.
His attempts to snare Lee Cattermole from his former club Wigan ended in frustration last week, when he saw an improved bid of £6million was turned down by new Latics chief Roberto Martinez.
That rebuttal has forced the Black Cats boss to look at offer options and he has sounded out the former England Under-21 international about a switch to the Stadium of Light.
Although Reo-Coker remains unconvinced about a move to the north-east, he seems determined to leave Villa in a bid to recapture the form that saw him named as a stand-by player for Sven Goran Eriksson's 2006 World Cup squad.
Martin O'Neill has made it clear he will not stand in the way of the former West Ham's skipper, should he opt to leave. However, he is keen to get a deal thrashed out quickly so that he may use the funds on replacements.
Reo-Coker, though, remains to be convinced the deal would reignite his career and is said to be holding out for a move back down south.
