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Fan Football - by Ross Carpenter

 
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Sunderland add Ji and Gardner

June 30th 2011 18:01
Sunderland continue to add to their squad today, with the signings of two new players. Having signed Connor Wickham from Ipswich on Wednesday, Bruce has secured the signatures of Craig Gardner, Birmingham's 24-yr old midfielder, and Ji Dong-won, the K-League's 20-yr old Chunman Dragons' striker.

Having scored 10 for Birmingham last season, including winning the Carling Cup as a Blue, Gardner makes the switch for an undisclosed-fee. Despite his efforts, Birmingham failed to avoid the drop and Sunderland were only too happy to swoop.


Ji himself has a habit of scoring, hitting 6 in 11 international appearances for his native South Korea. He is the second Korean that Bruce has signed as manager, having signed Chon Won-hee for his former club, Wigan Athletic, in 2009.


Bruce told the Sunderland website:
"The boy has been in fantastic form for both club and country and he was one of South Korea's stand-out performers at the Asian Cup so we are delighted to bring him to Sunderland.
The Barclays Premier League is very different to the K-League so there is hard work ahead but you just have to look at players like Park Ji-sung and Lee Chung-yong to see how well Korean players are adapting to its pace and physicality.
I believe Ji can be an excellent acquisition and he has certainly impressed us over the long period we have been watching him."

In addition to Wickham, Ji and Gardner, Sunderland have signed Sebastian Larsson from Birmingham, and goalkeeper Kieren Westwood from Coventry City.
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Saturday morning gossip

June 25th 2011 09:51
Scotland to Sheffield?
Having been relegated from the Championship at the end of the 2009-10 season, Sheffield Wednesday finished only 15th in League One last season. This season, they'll hope to 'do a Southampton' and win promotion back to the Championship- perhaps their rightful home.
This year they'll be joined by city rivals, Sheffield United, who were relegated in 23rd place last season.

To signal their intent, the Owls have joined the hunt for Ipswich Town striker Jason Scotland. The former Wigan striker has provoked interest from Brighton, newly promoted to the Championship themselves, and, whilst they can offer a higher grade of football, Wednesday chairman, Milan Mandaric is attempting to tempt him to Hillsborough.

Blackburn interested in a 4th Cissé
Blackburn have made a fresh bid for Freiburg and Senegal striker Papiss Cisse, a 26-yr old who finished 2nd top scorer in the Bundesliga last year.

If he joins the Rovers, he will become the 4th Cissé to play in the Premier League, joining Édouard Cissé (West Ham), Aliou Cissé (Birmingham, Portsmouth), and the most famous, Djibril Cissé (Liverpool, Sunderland).

The German club insist they won't accept anything less than €15million for him, which is believed to be double Blackburn's initial offer. However, Steve Kean, Blackburn Rovers gaffer, has upped his offer, to above the club record transfer fee.

There are a number of clubs interested in Cissé, however, and Blackburn will have their hands tied financially to offer the expected fee. Zenit St Petersburg, Dynamo Kiev and Lokomotiv Moscow and all keen on Cissé, and the wages on offer in Russia and Ukraine could hamper Blackburn's bid. In addition, Arsenal, Liverpool and Fulham have all been believed to be 'keeping tabs' on Cissé.

Sunderland set to sign Gardner
Craig Gardner, 24-yr old Birmingham midfielder, is close to a switch to the Stadium of Light.
Sunderland boss Steve Bruce has long been interested in bringing lifelong Birmingham City fan to the North East, and is poised to make a significant transfer breakthrough as he closes in

It is understood the 24-year-old is close to agreeing a move to the Black Cats following Birmingham's relegation from the Premier League at the end of last season.

Part of the side who lifted the Carling Cup in February with a famous 2-1 victory over Arsenal, Gardner began his career with Birmingham arch-rivals, Aston Villa. However, he and his team-mates were unable to prevent Birmingham from slipping out of the top flight on a dramatic final day of the season, and following manager Alex McLeish's departure, Gardner looks set to exit St. Andrews.

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