The One That Got Away…

With the transfer window closed until the summer, and newly signed players settling into the new clubs the season can now get back on track.

However their will be a few managers in the football world who will feel hard done by, by not signing the players that they had their eye on.

None more so than our very own Steve Bruce.

The Geordie born boss have been reflecting on his transfers over last month in his weekly press conference and seem to be more than satisfied by recruiting Alan Hutton, Matty Kilgallon and last minute loan deal Benjani.

But there was a slight disappointment when he admitted he would of loved to have signed Adam Johnson.

He told the Sunderland echo, “I’m happy with the business we’ve done, but, yes, I’d have loved to have brought Adam in as well.

‘We had him watched two, three, four times and more and he was a player we really liked the look of.

‘He was a local lad as well and I’m sure our fans would have taken him to their hearts but it wasn’t to be.

‘The lad made a decision that he had every right to and we move on.’

Johnson late went to join big money spenders Manchester city but was also infuriated with the incomplete deals with Maynor Figeuroa, Kevin Kuranyi, Salvador Cabanas and Guy Demel.

But he finally summarised how he feels about the deals he did complete.

He said, “I’m delighted to get Matt and Alan and Benjani.

‘I think they will be three very good signings for us.

‘They’ve all come here with a really good attitude, they really want to play and make a contribution.

‘And, in my opinion, we’ve got three very good Premiership players who are going to strengthen us for the run in.

‘I said at the start of the window that it wasn’t easy to do business in this month. I said at the start of the window that we’d probably only make two or three signings.

‘And that’s exactly how its turned out.

‘But, overall, I’ve got to be happy that I have managed to bring in some good players to address some of the problems that were concerning us.

‘Alan and Matt are going to really help us in defence, while we needed someone like Benjani with all his attributes and Premier League experience up front.’

Hutton and Benjani look to go straight into the squad when his side take on Wigan Athletic on Saturday at the Stadium of Light.