I could not refuse City's staggering offer for Waghorn – Steve Bruce
Sunderland boss Steve Bruce has revealed Leicester City's "staggering" offer for Martyn Waghorn convinced him to sell his young prospect.
Bruce had repeatedly stated the 20-year-old striker, who impressed during his season-long loan to City last season, was not for sale and would be one of his first-team squad strikers at the Stadium of Light this season.
However, he said City's offer of £2million, rising to £3m depending on clauses, for Waghorn convinced him to finally sell and use the money to bring in Asamoah Gyan from Rennes for a club record fee of £13m.
Bruce said he was convinced that Waghorn would become a Premier League player one day, but conceded that he did not think the former youth team player was quite ready yet.
"You never want to lose one of your young players," said Bruce.
"I think he's got a big future in the game but he's not quite ready for the Premier League at the moment.
"In a year's time, maybe two, he could be, so I wish him well. He's a great kid, but they offered a staggering amount of money so we managed to put that in the kitty."
Despite joining the Black Cats aged eight and being a big fan of the club, Waghorn said the lure of first-team football made it a straightforward decision to return to City.
"It wasn't that much of a wrench," he said. "It was just sad they didn't give me a chance and I didn't get a fair crack of the whip. It is sad to be leaving after 13 years at the club but it has happened and I have to move on now. That is football.
"I am here now and I am here for the next four years, so hopefully I can do a job for Leicester.
"I understand why they sold me. Steve Bruce called me and told me what was going on so it was nice to get that phone call. But I have moved on.
"It is nice to know the fans cared and it is a shame I didn't get to show them an awful lot, but I have moved on.
"Thanks to Sunderland, but I am here at Leicester now."
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by keith, Wanganui
Thursday, September 09 2010, 10:40PM
“Fred you are getting a bit abusive now. But don't have the guts to post under your own name hiding behind ROLL AGAIN!!
Ha ha ROLL/FRED you are the MORON posting under various names.
If I am not a true blue. Where does that leave you.?????
On the TREES site that's where.
So jog along to the TREES site old son, and sign in as IAN.”
by roll, City....
Thursday, September 09 2010, 7:08AM
“Been in new Z for a long time, and lets hope it stays that way, why dont u do something usefull? and go and help the quake victims instead od spending all day writing garbage on this site, you have never been or supported LCFC and we do not want MORONS like YOU calling them selves true blue.....”
by Fosse_to_Fox, Long Eaton
Wednesday, September 08 2010, 6:27PM
“Taking the figures quoted, if a club has attendances of around 40,000 and spends around £15 million on players, in my book they are big.”
by Fred, Leicester
Wednesday, September 08 2010, 6:19PM
“Fosse to Fox
Sunderland are not a big club.
Our attendance last match around 19,000 their attendance around 40,000
Our spend around £3 million their spend around £15 million.
There going places we are going down hill faster than our wagon with no wheels on it.
Common sense anyone?”
by Fosse_to_Fox, Long Eaton
Wednesday, September 08 2010, 6:05PM
“All this says to me is that Sunderland are not the big club they make out to be. If you are an established Premiership club, as they are, your head shouldn¿t be turned by a £2-3million offer for one of your very best youngsters, a player that they have nurtured since the age of eight and that Bruce has admitted was going to be part of his first-team squad this season. Fair enough, Bruce may regard Waghorn as a year or two away from being ready for the Premier League, but he also thinks that he¿s got a big future in the game. Can you imagine Ferguson or Wenger letting a player go in a similar circumstance?
Whatever, I¿m not complaining as I think that Waghorn proved to us last season that he is more than ready for the Championship. It¿s nice to have a player on our books who could turn out to be a real star, and I for one look forward to him proving to Bruce time and again that he was wrong to let him go.
Getting Waghorn to sign a long-term contract was also a wise move as, should he continue to improve, his value will undoubtedly increase. Much as I hope against hope that we gain promotion and take him with us, this would be of benefit to us in a few years time should we not have done so and Waghorn outgrows the club as a result.
As to Fryatt possibly going on loan to Derby, I¿m going to treat that as being pure speculation. I don¿t even want to think about it.”