Source: Northern_Echo
Sunderland target moves to Moscow
SUNDERLAND'S year-long pursuit of Kevin Kuranyi is at an end after the striker revealed he will join Russian club Dynamo Moscow this summer.[LNB] Kuranyi, who will become a free agent when he leaves German side Schalke at the end of the month, has agreed to move to Russia after Dynamo officials offered him a lucrative contract believed to be worth around £70,000-a-week.[LNB] Having tracked the Germany international since his appointment last summer, Steve Bruce attempted to sign Kuranyi in January, only for talks to break down as a result of the forward's wage demands.[LNB] Bruce had been hoping to make a renewed approach to the 28-year-old and his agent this summer, but will now turn his attention elsewhere as he attempts to bolster a forward line that has relied heavily on Darren Bent this season.[LNB] I always said that, at the end of the day, the overall package had to be right, said Kuranyi, who is expected to miss out on Germany's squad for this summer's World Cup finals.[LNB] I had that feeling with Dynamo.[LNB] Of course the financial side is one aspect of it and it would be hypocritical to claim otherwise.[LNB] But I believe that my family will be happy in Moscow. I have spoken at length with Russian friends about it because not only I have got to get used to a new environment, but my family does too.[LNB] While Kuranyi has slipped through the net, Bruce remains confident of completing the capture of Paraguayan midfielder Cristian Riveros.[LNB] The Cruz Azul playmaker has already been named in Paraguay's provisional World Cup squad, and Sunderland officials are hoping to hold further talks before he joins up with the rest of his international team-mates in South Africa.[LNB] Riveros' arrival could coincide with the departure of a number of fringe players.[LNB] Reading have joined fellow Championship side Ipswich in the race to sign winger Daryl Murphy, while Sheffield United are keen to sign Nyron Nosworthy on a permanent basis now his loan deal at Bramall Lane is at an end.[LNB] Bruce will oversee a number of changes this summer as he looks to assemble a squad capable of holding down a place in the top half of the table.[LNB] Sunday's 2-1 defeat at Wolves left Sunderland in 13th position at the end of the season, an outcome skipper Lorik Cana deems unacceptable given the quality of the Black Cats squad.[LNB] I would not have taken 13th at the start of the season, if I am being honest, said the tough-tackling midfielder. I think we are better than that.[LNB] We didn't win for 13 or 14 games and that hurt us, but we are on the right path. I think we have the quality to do better.[LNB] You have to fight for every point that's why it's the best league in the world. The next step for the club is to finish in the top half of the table and I know we can do that.[LNB]
