Bruce denies Henderson price tag

29 October 2010 12:00
Sunderland boss Steve Bruce has dismissed suggestions he has placed a £20million price tag on the head of midfielder Jordan Henderson. The 20-year-old academy graduate has won rave reviews for his performances in the Barclays Premier League since emerging from the ranks last season and his role in England Under-21s' European Championship play-off victory over Romania last month has alerted a wider audience to his talents. Indeed, he has caught the eye of senior England boss Fabio Capello and has been widely tipped to be named in the squad for next month's friendly against France. Bruce admits he may have to fend off interest in one of English football's most promising prospects if he continues to develop as he has but he is adamant he has not set a price in an attempt to ward off potential purchasers. He said: "I haven't put any price tag on anything. The only thing I know is that Jordan is an exceptional footballer and has got the world talking about him since he scored for the Under-21s in front of the England manager. "The speculation that he is going to be in the next England squad has had everybody talking about Jordan. We have known about him for about 18 months now. He is a fantastic player. I haven't put any price on his head at all, that would be ridiculous of me."

Source: PA