Sunderland plan to land Sami

Feb 1 2009 by James Hunter, Sunday Sun

SUNDERLAND hope to land a post-derby blow on Newcastle by landing Sami Hyypia — but face losing out on Darren Bent.

Black Cats boss Ricky Sbragia was confident of clinching a deal for Spurs striker Bent before tomorrow night’s transfer deadline.

Last weekend, Bent was touted as a possible makeweight in a player-plus-cash deal to take Kenwyne Jones to Tottenham.

And although Trinidad & Tobago international Jones ended speculation over his future by signing a new four-and-a-half year contract with the Wearsiders, talks between them and Spurs over Bent continued.

But, following injury to Jermain Defoe, Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp last night insisted that Bent is staying at White Hart Lane.

Had Bent moved north, the Black Cats might have reconsidered converting Djibril Cisse’s loan into a permanent move in the summer.

Sunderland agreed a price of 10 million euros with Marseille for Cisse last summer, but the slide in the value of sterling means the France international’s price has effectively gone up from £8m to £10m.

However, while today’s derby rivals Newcastle failed in a bid for Hyypia on Friday, Sbragia has not given up on the veteran Liverpool defender.

Sbragia also suffered disappointment on Friday when a deal for Manchester City’s Israeli international Tal Ben-Haim broke down.

But while Hyypia, who is due a testimonial this year and is out of contract in the summer, is set to be offered a new one-year deal and the promise of a coaching role to stay at Anfield, Sunderland hope to tempt him with a two-year contract.

Meanwhile, sources in Australia claim former Black Cats boss Roy Keane has been knocked back in a bid to become the new manager at Sydney FC.

After Sydney sacked coach John Kosmina last week, an agent — Paddy Dominguez — is said to have tried and failed to try to broker a deal for Keane to take charge of Australia’s biggest club.