Bruce closing in on deal for Crouch
Crouch looks set to be the latest player to leave Fratton Park
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By Adam Leveridge. |  |
Wednesday, 15, Jul 2009 09:35
Sunderland are close to agreeing a free with Portsmouth that would take striker Peter Crouch to the Stadium of Light.
Manager Steve Bruce says talks have been going on between the two clubs for a couple of weeks and hopes to conclude a deal within the next 24 hours.
The Black Cats have recently been taken over by American businessman Ellis Short and are believed to have significant transfer funds at their disposal.
Sunderland signed Fraizer Campbell last week but Bruce says Crouch has been the key target for him this summer.
"He is a player I have admired for a very long time and I suppose a lot of managers do exactly the same thing," said Bruce.
"As we speak at this particular moment, we are in discussions with the club."
Sunderland are expected to pay £12 million for the England striker and Bruce believes capturing a player of Crouch's experience and quality will enable him to lure move potential transfer targets to the club.
Bruce added: "We hope we can try to put something together because he would be the type of player of course that would signal our intention of the way we want to take the football club forward."
"I know discussions at high levels were going on late last night, so we'll see and I'll be able to tell you more in the next 24 hours."
Crouch scored 16 goals in 49 appearances for Pompey last season but has been looking for a transfer away from the club following a string of departures from the south coast side in the last 12 months.