The done deal: but only Sunderland …

… could have kept us all on tenterhooks until a quarter of an hour before deadline. But it’s done: Sunderland AFC finally confirmed the signing of Asamoah Gyan from Rennes. Talk about cutting things fine …

Yes, we could have done with a much earlier announcement to put us all at ease.

But supporting Sunderland has always been something of a nerve-jangling experience and there must have seemed no reason to mess with that tradition. And, doubtless, every reason for the delay.

The official Sunderland site’s own transfer deadline special, timed updates throughout the day, had been buzzing all day with news from elsewhere: done deals concerning Wigan, Birmingham, Celtic (Anthony Stokes no less, joining his former SAFC teammate Daryl Murphy), Liverpool, Reading, Brighton even – and more.

Lots of references to Sunderland, of course, from outside sources – Facebook, Twitter etc – as collated by the site editor Stu Vose and his sidekick Kate Smith – and their own occasional asides about lack of news from within. But nothing concrete until this:


1746: DONE DEAL: Steve Bruce gets his man! Asamoah Gyan is officially a Black Cat.

It came just 16 minutes after the same site put the fear of the Lord into everyone with this statement appearing to deny Sky’s story that it was done deal: “Contrary to reports Sunderland AFC have not yet completed a deal for Asamoah Gyan. Officials continue to work hard behind the scenes and safc.com will bring you any confirmed news as soon as we have it.”

But in the end, whatever it was that was holding them up was holding them up no longer. He’s here. Darren Bent has a proven goalscoring partner to share the burden of banging them in.

Asamoah Gyan must now prove himself in a tougher league than Ligue 1, and the confirmed £13m+ fee seems steep. But Marouane Chamakh has already made an impression after moving from Bordeaux to Arsenal and we must hope and believe our man will do it, too.

Unless there was last-minute development, so far unreported, no one else in and – perhaps regrettably, for their sakes and ours – no one out.

The official site’s cautionary note read: ” … expect late news of deals to filter through after the deadline has passed” and, as if to prove the point, we learn later that Teemu Tainio has left the club by mutual consent, and Martyn Waghorn has gone to Leicester for £3m (which – though I am sorry to see the lad go – strikes me as being excellent business).

So thanks to Stu and Kate for the entertainment. And welcome to Wearside, Asamoah. What kept you?

Colin Randall

5 thoughts on “The done deal: but only Sunderland …”

  1. Interesting point Keith. Most of us are thinking that Waghorn wasn’t given a proper chance. Are you suggesting that maybe Bruce took the view that if exposed to PL football that his “potential’ may not develop into the sort of players that it was hoped he’d be, and that his value may drop as a result.

  2. Sunderland in the headlines for all the right reasons, any transfer is only potential good and if this combination works Gyan and Bent we could have fireworks. Many believe the sale of Waghorn to be a mistake but for the lads own good let him go. He is the same age as Welbeck but way behind in development and I think Bruce has seen that he just won’t be a worldbeater. Bruce has been shrewd and has a big squad now and will have to rotate to keep them all happy. Against City Richardson and Bramble were towers, when did you see Tevez so quiet, but what will happen to Angeleri, Riveros and Da Silva?
    this is the best squad Sunderland have had ever. The future looks bright!!!!!!!!!!!!

  3. Another big money risk from cabbage head maggy steve bruce- how many times do his aquisitions start well then get sold a year later? wede have been better off keeping waghorn! steve bruce hasnt a clue and we all know it-hes broke the bank (again)- ellis will soon be short at bruce’s spending rate-good managers dont outlay fortunes and tear teams apart in the process-they knit a team by keeping a team… wheres bruce’s attacking cover when bent or samousa get clattermoled by wolves or the likes?? its gona be a long season boys…….

  4. It looks as if all Bruce/Quinn/whoever saw was the £3 million Leicester were willing to pay and that outweighed Waghorn’s potential as a valuable future asset to Sunderland. Leicester may have picked up a real bargain. I think Sunderland made a mistake.

  5. I have to say that I am excited at the prospect of seeing Gyan up front with Bent and that we did need another striker even before the loss of Campbell, but I do not understand the sale of Martyn Waghorn. He was a very promising youngster and I feel that not only have we sold an excellent home grown talent but we have left our selves short upfront again. I always remember Rooney emerging as a teen and look at him now! Waghorn in my view has the talent to become a top class striker and we gave him away, it seems Steve Bruce wasn’t of the same opinion.

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