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Bruce quashes 'ludicrous' talk of Johnson loan

Adam Johnson has been linked with a move to Sunderland © Getty Images

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Sunderland boss Steve Bruce will not spend for the sake of it in January as he targets the key men he believes will help take the club to the next level.

Bruce has twice broken the Black Cats' record transfer fee during his 18 months at the Stadium of Light, signing Darren Bent for £10 million and Asamoah Gyan, who cost him in excess of £13m.

However, despite having been linked with the likes of Wigan's Charles N'Zogbia, Manchester City's Adam Johnson and Aston Villa winger Stewart Downing in recent weeks, he is not expecting to be too busy next month.

Bruce said: "We are in a position now where, to get better than what we have got - for instance, if there was X amount of pounds to spend, I would spend it on one player. I would think we are at that sort of level now. But to get a player like that, who I have in mind, they are simply not available. I wouldn't have thought they are available, anyway.

"We will just have to be patient and wait for the right one. Sometimes in January, you have to give yourself an injection or give your club a lift.

"I don't think we need that at this particular moment unless the right one becomes available - and if he does, believe me, I will knock on the chairman's door. I don't think the players we are looking for in January will be available, so if they are not available, I am not going to go and just add to the numbers.

"We will have to be patient and look and wait until we can do something, which is possibly in the summer."

Bruce was not elaborating on the identities of the men in his sights, but it is understood he would jump at the chance to take N'Zogbia, Johnson or Downing to Wearside.

However, he is equally well aware that Wigan would want big money for the Frenchman, and that even if City or Villa were prepared to let their respective players go out for the remainder of the season, he has already used the two domestic loan signings he is allowed in Danny Welbeck and Nedum Onuoha.

There has been talk of making a permanent move for the City defender, who has impressed in recent weeks, but the manager admits that is unlikely.

He said: "There's nothing brewing on that at all just yet. We haven't had any real conversation with Manchester City. I have seen this ludicrous report that we are going to get Adam Johnson on loan - I don't think that is a distinct possibility - so at the moment, no, I can't see it.

"There is no loan player in the Premier League who we are close to or are trying to get because I am quite happy with what we have got."

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