Source: Northern_Echo
Bruce to pass on Muntari
SULLEY MUNTARI has been told he will not be moving to Sunderland on a permanent basis after struggling to prove he is worth Champions League wages.[LNB] Muntari has been on loan from Inter Milan since January and will be allowed to leave the San Siro during the summer.[LNB] Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp, who managed him Portsmouth, has previously shown an interest in a player keen to move back to the Premier League.[LNB] But the Ghanaian is set to miss out on a full-time transfer to the Stadium of Light, with Sunderland unwilling to match his reputed £70,000-aweek salary in Italy.[LNB] After a promising start to his loan spell on a personal level, he has struggled to help Sunderland emerge through difficult times.[LNB] The only game the Black Cats have won since his arrival was at home to Wigan on April 23, when he emerged from the bench to turn things around on the left of midfield.[LNB] Sunderland manager Steve Bruce has previously revealed his enormous admiration for the African, but appears to have realised there is little chance of a deal.[LNB] Muntari has reportedly already been informed he will not be staying beyond his loan period.[LNB] John Mensah, however, could still be back at Sunderland next season.[LNB] The centre-back has been plagued by a series of injuries for the second year in a row since moving on loan from Lyon, who want £8m for his services.[LNB] Bruce has always maintained his belief that Mensah is one of the best defenders around, but he has been forced to accept he will not play most weeks.[LNB] The Ghana international has chronic back problems, which affects his groin and hamstrings, and has only figured in 16 of Sunderland's league games this season.[LNB] Bruce has outlined an intention to strengthen his squad with seven or eight new signings in the summer, although he does not appear to have made up his mind yet on whether the 28-year-old will be one.[LNB] Muntari, meanwhile, has started all but one of his eight appearances for Sunderland and Bruce will have to turn to him again for this Saturday's trip to Bolton.[LNB] With Jordan Henderson and Lee Cattermole struggling with injuries picked up against Fulham, the 26-yearold is set to face the Trotters as there are few alternatives.[LNB] Irish midfielder David Meyler is still ruled out through injury, despite making a return to the squad in recent weeks.[LNB] Meyler was an unused substitute at Birmingham and at home to Fulham, but Bruce is reluctant to hand him any competitive football until he is certain he is over his injury problems.[LNB] He had previously aggravated his knee ligaments at Aston Villa in January, less than a month after he returned from damage to the same knee he sustained on the final day of last season and Bruce is treading carefully.[LNB] UEFA have rejected both protests lodged by Real Madrid and the complaint made by Barcelona following last Wednesday's ill-tempered Champions League semi-final first leg at the Bernabeu.[LNB] Madrid announced last Thursday evening that they were reporting the Spanish champions to UEFA for unsportsmanlike behaviour'' soon after Barca confirmed they were reporting the capital club's coach Jose Mourinho for his post-match comments following the visitors' 2-0 win.[LNB] UEFA's disciplinary committee will on Friday examine five charges against Madrid including one relating to Mourinho's sending-off and another in regard to his postmatch comments and one charge against Barca following substitute goalkeeper Jose Pinto's red card during a half-time melee.[LNB] The sides meet this evening at Camp Nou, with a place in the Wembley final at stake.[LNB]
