Source: Northern_Echo
Bruce will stay in hunt for Welbeck
STEVE BRUCE will make a late summer call to Sir Alex Ferguson in the hope of persuading Manchester United to allow Danny Welbeck to rejoin Sunderland.[LNB] Welbeck indicated over the weekend that Ferguson has told him he will be a prominent member of the United squad next season and will figure in plenty of matches.[LNB] But despite the striker's desire to succeed at Old Trafford, Bruce is going to keep an eye on transfer developments at his former club before contacting United in August to try to do a deal again.[LNB] After playing regularly for Sunderland last season, Welbeck is keen to build on the taste he had of the Premier League by enjoying further first-team action.[LNB] My main aim was to go to Sunderland and get minutes under my belt in the Premier League, he said. You learn massive amounts. It's experience you can't gain from being at United on the bench like I was the season before.[LNB] United are on the look out for another forward, but still have Wayne Rooney, Dimitar Berbatov, Javier Hernandez and Michael Owen vying for forward roles.[LNB] Welbeck, though, has revealed Ferguson has reassured him he will be playing for the Red Devils next season.[LNB] The 20-year-old said: The manager said I'll get decent opportunities and hopefully I'll take them.[LNB] Sunderland are already in regular conversation with United over the proposed sale of Darron Gibson to the Stadium of Light.[LNB] Gibson, a Republic of Ireland midfielder, formed part of the £12m triple bid from the Black Cats which also included John O'Shea and Wes Brown.[LNB] However, both O'Shea and Brown have expressed concerns over a switch to Wearside and now it has emerged that Aston Villa are exploring the possibility of a move for Brown.[LNB] Brown and O'Shea's stalling has delayed the Gibson deal, although he is still expected to complete his switch to Wearside before pre-season training begins in two weeks time.[LNB] By that time, winger Seb Larsson is also likely to be at the Sunderland training ground to meet his new team-mates.[LNB] Larsson is available on a free after leaving Birmingham City and has told reporters in Sweden that he will be heading to Sunderland.[LNB] Larsson admitted: I can surely say that things are starting to get clear. Something can happen in a couple of days. Sunderland is a big club who is just behind the top clubs in England.[LNB]
