Sunderland Football Club News

• Nickname:Black Cats
• Founded:1879
• Manager:Martin O'Neill

• Ground:Stadium of light
• Capacity:48,353

Upbeat Bruce waits for Crouch

20 Jul 2009 - 15:22:15

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Sunderland manager Steve Bruce is hoping to beat off competition from Tottenham Hotspur and Fulham to complete the signing of Portsmouth striker Peter Crouch later this week.

The Black Cats have met Pompey's £12million asking price for the England international and have already spoken to him about personal terms.

Bruce told the Sunderland Echo: "We're happy to have agreed a fee with Portsmouth and happy that Peter came up to talk to us about the move.

"We've given it our best shot in trying to convince him that Sunderland and the north-east is the right place for him, the right club at the right time.

"In that sense, we're content that we've done our jobs. Now we can only leave it with him and let him decide.

"I'm convinced that moving to Sunderland would be a great move for him and he'd be a great signing for us and I remain hopeful, because I'm excited about what we could do with him.

"We won't push him for a decision because it's up to him to make his mind up when he's thought things over.

"But I'd expect that we'll probably have some information on how things stand very soon. Something could easily happen in the next 24 hours."