MICK McCARTHY last night opened the door for Argentinian Julio Arca to force his way back into the struggling Sunderland first team.

The South American, who has not played since April 26, has been one of a number of players to have been left in the cold during the Black Cats' opening First Division fixtures.

But now McCarthy looks like handing the 23-year-old a chance to restart his flagging career - albeit in a totally different position.

Arca became a fans' favourite on the left wing during Peter Reid's tenure. However, it has emerged that role was never really to the player's liking.

And now McCarthy could hand the £3.5m buy, from Argentinos Juniors in July 2000, a chance to make his preferred left-back spot his own.

"From my point of view before I came here I watched Julio from afar and I seen him as a wide left player," said McCarthy, who hopes to stop his side equalling Darwen's 18-match losing League run record set in 1898-99 at Preston in front of the Sky Sports cameras tomorrow.

"It's only been since I've actually sat down with him and chatted with him that I've found out his actual position is as a left-back.

"All I knew was that he was playing wide left and he was playing there for a long time.

"I know that because I was watching the Sunderland team and he was keeping Kevin Kilbane out of the team.

"At that time, as Republic of Ireland manager, I wasn't too happy about it."

McCarthy witnessed Arca impress during Wednesday night's reserves team win over Manchester City.

And the Sunderland boss praised Arca for the way he has retained fitness, despite his lack of match action.

McCarthy also revealed that he would not hesitate in playing him in the left-midfield position again should the need arise.

"He's been training left-back and he played left-back on Wednesday night. He did very well as well," he said. "He looks far stronger now and he works very hard.

"Left-back is his favoured position but it gives you cover when you have got somebody like that who can come in and do a job at wide left.

"Julio was excellent against Man City. He has been terrific all pre-season and he will be involved in the squad on Saturday."

Arca's emergence as a full-back has pushed former skipper Michael Gray even further down the pecking order.

Sunderland are keen to offload local boy Gray before the closure of the transfer window on August 31 - along with Claudio Reyna, Emerson Thome and Tore Andre Flo.

"Gray is not out of my plans," said McCarthy. "But the position is the same as it was at the end of last season.

"He was made available for transfer and he still is. It's the same for a number of players.

"Claudio has been speaking to Fulham and the clubs are still talking. Emerson Thome is talking to Bolton and Siena are interested in Flo."

Cash-strapped Sunderland have drafted in midfielder Colin Healy and defender Gary Breen on free transfers and McCarthy believes the club's luck will turn soon.

"It would be nice to have a settled squad but other clubs are in the same boat and I'm not going top bemoan that," he said.

"I just feel we need a break and I've seen some clubs better and worse than us and they have turned it round after something kick-started it - like an own goal or a fluke. We'll get a break and we will go on from there."

Bolton boss Sam Allardyce is hoping to tie up a deal for Thome quickly.

Allardyce said: "We are trying our best to bring in new personnel. The most likely one to succeed is Emerson Thome. We will try our best to complete it as quickly as we can.

"There are the usual financial problems but we haven't lost it yet.

"So we will keep pushing on and see what the outcome will be in the next 48 hours.''

* Midfielder John Oster has been called up by Wales for their forthcoming European Championship qualifiers against Italy and Finland.

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