Bruce Completes Double Swoop

The spending spree continued today as Steve Bruce signed Asian sensation Ji Dong-Won and Birmimgham City’s Craig Gardner.

Ji Dong-Won has been speaking to the club for a few weeks and the work permit was granted for him to start pre-season next week in England.

Dong-Won who has scored six goals in eleven National appearances for Korea will add to the forward line with his 6ft 2 inches presence.

Dong-Won said: ‘I am so satisfied to be able to come to a good club, a nice club in the world’s number one league,” he told the club`s official website.

“I am happy because I have a chance to challenge the biggest players, and that gives me motivation.

I am so glad to be able to meet other Korean players on such a big stage, but there is no such excuse for the opponent. I will do my best to defeat them,” he added.

“It will not be easy. I am enjoying the life and studying English. I hope I could be a member of this team within six months.”

Also Bruce tied up the signing of Birmingham’s top goalscoring midfielder for a fee reported to be around £4.5m rising to £6m.

Gardner will be a likely replacement for Jordan Henderson and said he was sold as soon as he heard Sunderland were after him.

Gardner said: ‘It’s unbelievable, to be honest. As soon as I found out Sunderland were interested, it was a no-brainer,’ Gardner revealed. ‘Obviously, I have heard so much about Steve Bruce and his backroom staff and how good a chairman Niall Quinn is.

‘It’s such a massive club and their ambitions for this season meet my ambitions, and it was too good to turn down.’