Bruce keen to keep star names

04 January 2011 15:30
Sunderland boss Steve Bruce insists only a "ridiculous" offer would prompt him to even think about selling one of his key players this month. Bruce, with the backing of owner Ellis Short and chairman Niall Quinn, has significantly strengthened his squad with the likes of record £13million-plus signing Asamoah Gyan and £10million strike-partner Darren Bent, as well as Michael Turner and Titus Bramble among others. He has hinted that business will be limited in the winter transfer window in the belief that Aston Villa's Stewart Downing, Manchester City's Adam Johnson and Wigan's Charles N'Zogbia will be unavailable. However, amid speculation that rival clubs could be ready to test his resolve to hang on to the likes of Gyan and emerging England international Jordan Henderson, Bruce would only be forced to make a decision by an offer he simply could not refuse. He said: "Absolutely. It would take crazy offers for me to consider anything. The ones who are out on loan are the ones where I would envisage there would be a bit of business to be done. "But as for the big 'uns we have got, we have worked extremely hard, the chairman and the owner, to get the club in this situation, so the last thing you would want to be doing is dismantling it. It would take ridiculous money, absolutely, for us even to think about doing anything."

Source: PA