Black Cats Manager's Forward Planning

Steve Bruce may have only just sold Kenwyne Jones to Stoke but he is already busy signing his replacement to ensure
Sunderland do not start their Premier League campaign short of strikers.

The manager turned a few heads when he sold Jones for £8 million to Tony Pulis's side, especially as Bruce fought so hard to keep the Trinidad & Tobago international in January when the likes of Liverpool and Birmingham were interested in him.

After losing Jones, Bruce needs to bring in at least one new forward to take some of the goalscoring burden off last season's topscorer Darren Bent.

The manager is hoping to complete the signing of Manchester United striker Danny Welbeck on a season-long loan, but that could be seen as somewhat of a gamble as the youngster is not a proven Premier League goalscorer. Premier League betting suggests he won't set the world alight.

Unless Bruce can bring in an experienced forward, and he has been linked with Manchester City's Craig Bellamy, then he will be left with Wellbeck, fellow young forward Frazier Campbell and Martyn Waghorn to get some goals.

The manager has stated it is "unfair" to claim Wellbeck in a straight replacement for Jones, but confirmed the United forward was "close" to arriving on loan.

"He's a young man but he'll fit into our squad fantastically well," added Bruce.

 "We've got him here this morning. It looks like the formalities are done as long as he comes through the medical and we hope to announce him later."

Bruce has been already been busy this week strengthening his squad ahead of their Premier League opener against Birmingham by snapping up Manchester City centre-back Nedum Onuoha on a season-long loan at the Stadium of Light.

Sadly for Sunderland fans, the Carling Cup betting odds suggest that competition is their best chance of silverware this season and even that looks like an outside chance.