Bruce eyes Valencia replacement

23 May 2009 11:52
Steve Bruce has vowed to re-invest money from the summer sale of Antonio Valencia and has revealed he would be interested in signing Jermaine Pennant. Bruce admitted earlier this week that it is 'inevitable' Valencia will leave Wigan during the summer after three seasons with the club. The Ecuadorian winger has been linked with a number of Europe's top clubs and Bruce is resigned to losing him. However, he hopes to receive a hefty transfer fee and has assured supporters he will use the funds to reinforce his squad with more quality. "Valencia's sale is inevitable. When you have five or six of the biggest clubs in the world after you it is very difficult for us to stand in the boy's way," said Bruce. "We will see what develops over the next few weeks - but I don't know where they get the £21million from. "He has done fantastically well and if we do get big money for him the one thing we will try to do is reinvest it back in the squad and try to make it stronger and better if we can." Sensational Bruce has already started to think about possible replacements and has set his sights on Pennant, having worked with the 26-year-old at Birmingham. Pennant is currently on loan at Portsmouth from Liverpool and has stated he would be open to offers at the end of the season, with his prospects of going back to Anfield and becoming a regular unclear. He made a good impression on Bruce during his time at St Andrews, even though he spent time in prison for a drink-driving offence and then had to wear an electronic tag following his release "He did particularly well for me, but he is going to have to get the tag back on," Bruce joked in the Daily Mirror. "He was sensational in the last 10 games of the season when he was wearing it. "If the inevitable happens and we lose Luis Antonio Valencia then he is someone I am interested in."

Source: SKY_Sports