Source: Northern_Echo
Cats close in on Mensah
JOHN MENSAH expects to travel to Wearside over the weekend after successfully passing a medical that should seal a season-long loan move to Sunderland.[LNB] The Ghana international hopes to receive his visa today and has not given up on making his debut at Norwich City in the Carling Cup on Monday night.[LNB] Mensah underwent a medical in Lyon on Tuesday, but he has had to remain patient before completing the move while he waits for his visa to be stamped.[LNB] The Olympique Lyonnais defender is unlikely to figure against Blackburn tomorrow, but he does hope to figure at Carrow Road.[LNB] It is true I was given a document to sign indicating that I am going to go on loan to Sunderland, said Mensah.[LNB] All documents will be sent to FIFA for approval after the signing and Steve Bruce has confirmed that up to Friday I will get my UK Visa.[LNB] Mensahs comments were posted on his official website, which also went on to reveal expectations to travel to London over the weekend to play for Sunderland.[LNB] Manager Steve Bruce has been working on bringing Mensah to the North-East for a number of weeks and the loan agreement is with a view to a permanent £6m arrangement next summer.[LNB] While Bruce has been successful in filling a number of other holes in his squad after spending almost £25m, Mensah represents his first defensive recruit.[LNB] He still hopes one more will follow, with Manchester Citys Richard Dunne the most likely candidate.[LNB] Bruce, though, could soon be able to consider recalling Scotland international Craig Gordon between the posts.[LNB] Gordon missed last weekends win at Bolton and the defeat to Chelsea with the knee injury which has prevented him from playing through pre-season.[LNB] However, the £9m man is confident that his return to the squad will arrive sooner rather than later.[LNB] He said: Im getting there on the injury front. The knee feels fine, but when Im getting back into training my bodys doing a lot of work that its not used to doing, as its been over three months since I trained.[LNB] Its taking a little bit of time to get used to those rigours and getting used to putting the muscles through the rigours of what they need to do every day.[LNB] Hull manager Phil Brown admits the thrashing by Tottenham has emphasised his need to strengthen the squad.[LNB] The Tigers were crushed 5- 1 at the KC Stadium.[LNB] Brown has spent most of the summer transfer window trying to bring in fresh faces but has missed out on a number of targets.[LNB] Real Madrid striker Alvaro Negredo is the latest player to turn down a move to Hull and Brown now seems unlikely to rest until the September 1 deadline passes.[LNB] Brown said: We came up against classy opposition that showed us how to play the game.[LNB] We are probably a million miles away from that at this point in time, the scoreline suggests that.[LNB] There is no excuse for not working hard enough and not working towards the gameplan and one or two didnt.[LNB]
