Sunderland sign £8.1m Connor Wickham

SUNDERLAND manager Steve Bruce could not hide his delight after snatching teenage striker Connor Wickham from under the noses of his more illustrious suitors.

Liverpool, the club the 18-year-old Ipswich frontman has supported since he was a boy, as well as north London rivals Arsenal and Tottenham, have been credited with an interest in Wickham. However, amid speculation that one of them might attempt to hijack the Black Cats' swoop for him after they showed their hand last night with an 8.1million bid, the Wearside club made sure their move was decisive by tying him up on a four-year deal.

Bruce said: "A number of top sides have been chasing Connor for some time now, so naturally we are absolutely delighted he has chosen Sunderland.

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"He's still very young, but at 6ft 3in, he's a physical presence. With his height and style of play, he will offer us a threat in front of goal and complement our existing strikers.

"We have been watching him for a while now and he is improving and developing all the time. He's a great prospect."

The fee could eventually rise to 12million depending on a series of add-ons, but Sunderland are confident they have got their hands on a player of genuine potential. The England under-21 international made his senior debut for Ipswich at the age of just 16 years and 11 days in April 2009, and scored nine npower Championship goals for the Suffolk club last season.

He fits Bruce's profile for young, hungry players, but with a relatively large price tag, will have much to prove in the Barclays Premier League.

Wickham's physical presence will give Sunderland something they have largely lacked in attack since Kenwyne Jones' switch to Stoke last summer.