Source: Northern_Echo
Bruce wants Figueroa to join £6m man Turner
STEVE BRUCE will attempt to follow-up the capture of Michael Turner by securing Maynor Figueroa from former club Wigan Athletic as a replacement for George Mc- Cartney who is poised to join Hull City.
In what is expected to be a frantic day on Wearside ahead of the 5pm transfer deadline, Bruce could see attempts to offload a number of his firstteam squad scuppered by players wage demands.
The Sunderland manager has identified Honduras international Figueroa as his first choice left back target but Wigan are reluctant to release the 26-year-old after sanctioning Lee Cattermoles move to Wearside last month.
McCartney opened talks with Phil Brown shortly after the Tigers boss sanctioned Turners move to Wearside on a four-year deal.
The right-sided centre-half joined Hull from Brentford for £350,000 two years ago and became Bruces seventh signing of the summer for an undisclosed fee believed to be worth an initial £6m.
Brown, who signed Paul McShane on Sunday, had earlier declared his desire to retain 25-year-old Turner but Hull were unable to refuse an offer the manager labelled as a ridiculous valuation.
After watching his side outmuscled by Stoke City last Saturday, Bruce moved swiftly to recruit the 6ft 4in London- born defender whos been tipped to break into the England squad.
Sunderland are thought to have offered Nyron Nosworthy as part of the deal but Hull insisted on a cash-only agreement.
Brown said: I would not want rejects from other clubs.
No disrespect to them, but we could be talking about players who have not been monitored by me.
Turner joins defenders John Mensah and Paulo Da Silva at the Stadium of Light as Bruce attempts to build a back-line capable of matching the Premier Leagues most physical outfits.
Hull were interested in taking striker Fraizer Campbell but Bruce regards the player, who only moved to Wearside in July, as a key member of his squad. Talks to take McCartney to Humberside are ongoing.
The signing of Turner takes Bruces summer spending over £35m, but the clubs attempts to balance the books by selling a host of fringe players has hit the buffers.
The legacy of Roy Keanes tenure in charge at Sunderland club left the Black Cats with a host of players earning the kind of handsome pay packets that few teams are willing to match.
Danny Collins £2m move to Stoke City is one deal expected to go ahead despite the Wales international admitting privately that he would rather stay and fight for his place. Wolves cooled their interest in the left-sided defender after being put off by his wage demands.
Potters boss Tony Pulis is also keen to sign £2m-rated right back Phil Bardsley, who could become the seventh former Black Cat at the Britannia Stadium, but he is facing competition from West Ham United.
However, Keanes bid to take Grant Leadbitter and Carlos Edwards to Ipswich Town has foundered over personal terms. Both players will return to Sunderland unless an eleventh hour deal can be reached.
It is a similar story for David Healy whose proposed transfer to Coventry City is in danger of collapse after the Sky Blues baulked at the Northern Ireland international strikers terms.
But Bruce is determined to clear the decks after becoming concerned that his squad is ill-equipped to guide the club into the top half of the Premier League.
Forwards Daryl Murphy and Roy ODonovan have been told they do not figure in the managers plans and both will be allowed to leave on loan if permanent deals cannot be agreed.
Middlesbrough are considering a move for Murphy while Southampton and Blackpool could move for ODonovan.
Bruce has no plans to recruit a replacement striker despite reports linking him with a £3m move for Everton youngster James Vaughan.
