Bruce Enquires About Hart

Bruce is desperate for a more experienced goalkeeper after losing out to Bristol City for David James last month.

He likes the look of Simon Mignolet but would prefer more cover from the start of the season. This has made Bruce now enquire about Joe Hart from Manchester City, who had a marvellous season with Birmingham last year.

'We've asked the question of City and we now just have to wait and see what they say,' Bruce told the Sunderland Echo.

'But the timetable is not up to us on when we get an answer, it's up to them.

'With these new 25-man squad rules, clubs don't have to name their confirmed squads until the end of August, so if they wanted to, City could delay any decisions on their squad until then.'

Bruce would like to add the young English keeper to his squad for a 6 month loan period and expects to hear back from City towards the end of the transfer window.

Manchester City were helped out by Sunderland when Given was injured towards their crucial Champions league crusade when Fulop joined on loan.

Would be nice of Mancini and Man City to return the favour and give us a more solid looking back five with the also imminent arrival of John Mensah this week.

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