Source: Northern_Echo
Hutton deal at impasse
SUNDERLAND'S hopes of landing Alan Hutton this summer have been dented by Tottenham's insistence he is now worth more than £9m.[LNB] Steve Bruce remains keen to get the Scotland right-back to the Stadium of Light on a full-time basis after an impressive loan spell.[LNB] But Sunderland are only interested in concluding a deal for considerably less than what Tottenham paid Rangers in January 2008.[LNB] Spurs chairman Daniel Levy was originally out to avoid a loss on that original £9m deal, but Sunderland have now learned he would prefer to make a profit.[LNB] Levy has a history for proving difficult to bargain with, having had difficult negotiations with Quinn and Middlesbrough chief executive Keith Lamb in recent years.[LNB] He will have to accept Sunderland will offer anywhere near the figure he wants and Bruce has already started to work on a list of alternatives.[LNB] Hamburg's Guy Demel remains on the radar, while Sunderland have also been alerted to the fact former Newcastle defender Habib Beye has been told he can leave Aston Villa.[LNB] I guess with Alan we need to have a Plan B. It could very well change tomorrow because we're really just inquiring,[LNB] said Quinn.[LNB] We're looking at people but we've no idea of the fees because as soon as you go to a club and ask what it would cost it's all over the papers.[LNB] If I go to an agent and ask him to find out what a player would cost, you know he's adding a million on. We're not quite ready yet.[LNB] The situation Sunderland are in with Hutton, who they rate between £4-6m, is similar to that which they are facing with John Mensah.[LNB] Former French champions Lyon are reluctant to allow the centre-back to leave on the cheap, having paid around £7m at the same time Hutton left Rangers.[LNB] Bruce is desperate to add Mensah to his squad, feeling that replacing a defender of his international quality will prove difficult this summer.[LNB] But given his chronic injury problems, which prevented him from playing more than 16 times during his loan season in the Premier League, Sunderland refuse to pay over the odds.[LNB] Negotiations will continue in the hope that a pay-as-youplay deal or another loan arrangement can be struck, but hopes are receding.[LNB] Ryan Noble, Sunderland's promising young striker, has been named in the England Under-19 squad ahead of a group of Elite Qualifying matches next month.[LNB] The 18-year-old this season scored 25 for the Academy team and 12 for the reserves.[LNB]
