Sunderland are weighing up a £7million bid for Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick.

Stadium of Light supremo Steve Bruce is preparing to raid his former club for fellow ex-Wallsend Boys Club player Carrick as he looks for an immediate replacement for captain Lorik Cana.


The Albania midfielder stunned the Wearside club earlier this week after engineering a £6m switch to Galatasaray, two days into pre-season training and just a year after joining the club from Marseille.

Carrick, who moved to Old Trafford from Tottenham for an initial £14m four years ago, would be ideal skipper material for Bruce, who has Michael Turner, Lee Cattermole or Craig Gordon as alternatives to take the captain's armband.

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is prepared to listen to offers for the England midfielder, who turns 29 at the end of the month.

Wallsend-born Carrick, like Bruce a boyhood Newcastle fan, struggled to hold down a regular place at Old Trafford last season, starting only two of the last nine games as they lost their title to Chelsea.

Despite losing Cana, Bruce does have cover in central midfield following the surprise emergence of Jordan Henderson and David Meyler from the academy. But Meyler is out until Christmas at least after suffering a serious knee injury against United in May.

Cattermole, Kieran Richardson, new signing Cristian Riveros and highly rated teenager Jack Colback are other options, but Bruce wants an experienced campaigner for the start of the campaign.

Sunderland have also made a £6.5m bid for Schalke's Germany international Heiko Westermann while Argentine defender Marcos Angeleri is training on Wearside as he waits to complete a loan move from Mexico.

Rennes' Ghana striker Asamoah Gyan is under consideration but Wigan have priced Charles N'Zogbia and Maynor Figueroa out of moves to Sunderland.

DailyMail

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7 million pounds - half the amount we paid for him. Too less, no. Worth atleast 10 million i think. Plus losing him would mean we MUST sign a quality midfield player before the start for the season - with Giggs/Scholes aging, Hargo out with injury, Anderson back after lengthy lay-off. Fletcher remains as a sure starter in such a scenario.

We won't sell him. Unless Fergie has a lot of faith in Gibson.

Or if we buy a good Attacking Mid.
Oezil has already said United and CFC interest him.

Or if we buy a good Attacking Mid.
Oezil has already said United and CFC interest him.

Gibson is OK, not at the level of mental maturity of Carrick of course.

If we do SELL Carrick, we would need another midfielder surely. I would love it if we sign a good middfielder - the likes of Sneijder and Ozil, ideally, otherwise someone like Defour for the bling-less maverick performances (sorta like Park).

Also it would be awesome to see an Academy player make it to the first team - Davide Petrucci. Whatever I have heard and read about it makes me very eager to see him play. He had an injury lay-off, so hasnt featured for the reserves lately.

Rodrigo Possebon as well is an option - he did well in the couple of games he got.

We badly need to replace the Trio.
I guess Rafael is a possible replacement with more experience given, Nani has suited very well on Left wing, But PS18 is very difficult to replace may be Oezil will be better as he is young and a team player.

Bunnyruddha wrote:

We badly need to replace the Trio.
I guess Rafael is a possible replacement with more experience given, Nani has suited very well on Left wing, But PS18 is very difficult to replace may be Oezil will be better as he is young and a team player.

Scholes wasn't?


Anyway we already need another midfielder I think for lack of creativity in the center and if we sell Carrick we'll need two unless Gibson impresses.

I've read that Petrucci might get a few chances this season for the first team. He's quality from everything I've read on him and one for the future.

Possebon was looking good before he broke his leg. Let's see if he can make it or not.

Didn't get 'Scholes wasn't?'.

Bunnyruddha wrote:

Didn't get 'Scholes wasn't?'.

You said Oezil will be better than Scholes as he's young and a team player.

Rahul wrote:

I've read that Petrucci might get a few chances this season for the first team.

That's good. Can't wait to actually see him play.

I dont think Fergie will sell Carrick.
Not this season atleast.
He didnt do upto the mark last season but he is a brilliant player and I guess he just needs a bit more time to get back in form.

We need a player to reduce pressure off Wazza, need a scoring Mid.
We already have holding Mids.

Vishal16 wrote:

I dont think Fergie will sell Carrick.
Not this season atleast.
He didnt do upto the mark last season but he is a brilliant player and I guess he just needs a bit more time to get back in form.

I would say he's been anywhere near brilliant. He's an efficient player who needs a creative partner which he had in Scholes for the first two seasons. No wonder he has looked a bit off in the last two seasons with Scholes playing a bit further back and not partnering Carrick for most games.

His form has been a bit shocking last season. Heck Gibson was preferred over him against Munich in a 3 man midfield which would have been thought off at the start of last season.

He needs to put in some good performances or I think we might even sell him off in January.

He has to play much better now, he's hitting 30 in a year, it'll be hard to get a value if he doesn't perform now.

Rahul wrote:

Vishal16 wrote:

I dont think Fergie will sell Carrick.
Not this season atleast.
He didnt do upto the mark last season but he is a brilliant player and I guess he just needs a bit more time to get back in form.

I would say he's been anywhere near brilliant. He's an efficient player who needs a creative partner which he had in Scholes for the first two seasons. No wonder he has looked a bit off in the last two seasons with Scholes playing a bit further back and not partnering Carrick for most games.

His form has been a bit shocking last season. Heck Gibson was preferred over him against Munich in a 3 man midfield which would have been thought off at the start of last season.

He needs to put in some good performances or I think we might even sell him off in January.

Exactly my point.
He has been off since quite sometime now but I think he can get his old form back if he puts his heart into it.

It's difficult, He's more of a Holding Mid nowadays.