Ricky Sbragia

By The Black Cats
December 23 2008

Sunderland Caretaker boss Ricky Sbragia has announced that he is looking to bring in a defender with Premiership experience in the January transfer window. Sbragia has been given the go ahead to bring in players as well as sort out the current loan deals in the upcoming transfer window. Sbragia, who has taken charge of Sunderland's last three games, almost taking a point at Old Trafford and winning the last two matches emphatically, has identified a new defender.

Sbragia: "I'll be looking to bring in a defender with Premier League experience, I think we are a bit thin in that area" he said.

This is partly due to the injury situation, with George McCartney out for another month.

"We'll look to buy someone with experience but if that doesn't work out there's always use of the loan system."

Sbragia, who will be leading the Black Cats into battle for the fourth time as caretaker manager this saturday when Blackburn visit the Stadium of Light, will have a meeting today to decide the future of the club's loan players.

The Black Cats have 10 players out on loan and some of them can be recalled next month, some of them nilcudnig Trevor Carson, currently at Chesterfield will be recalled.

Sbragia said: "I'm not sure what's happening with the loans but it should become a lot clearer after today.

"I've managed to speak to some of the lads who have been out on loan, but we have to look at the nuts and bolts of all these deals to see what the situation is with them all individually."

I think by authorising Sbragia to bring in new players Niall Quinn is bringing Sbragia a step closer to the permanent manager position, and I for one hope he does get offered, and take the job as the lads have clicked under his leadership.