Sunderland patient over Bent deal

Sunderland boss Steve Bruce knows patience is the key to finally landing Tottenham striker Darren Bent.

An anticipated club record £12m move has dragged on for a number of days, resulting in growing frustration all round.

Bruce claims it is "a delay between the two clubs" that has left 25-year-old Bent kicking his heels of late.

"We have been saying now for days that we hope we can announce it," Bruce told Sky Sports News.

"We have just got to be patient and hope to get it over the line in the next 24 hours.

"(Spurs chairman) Daniel Levy is in America so there are one or two little items that the two clubs are yet to agree on, although we do believe we will get there.

"There is a player here who is really genuinely frustrated, we are all frustrated.

"It's been eight or nine days; imagine how Darren feels. We will see if we can put it to bed in the next 24 hours.

"We thought that we had reached an agreement and he's all raring to go, so we just have to be patient and wait for the green light."

Bruce, meanwhile, is apparently also chasing highly-rated 21-year-old Egyptian winger Ahmed Al-Muhammadi, who plays for ENPPI.

Speaking to Modern Sport TV, the player's agent Nader Shawki, said: "Al-Muhammadi had a successful trial with Sunderland at the weekend and Bruce was impressed.

"Negotiations between Sunderland and ENPPI should be concluded in the next few days."