SUNDERLAND manager Peter Reid, told he can add the £5.25m from the sale of Scottish international Don Hutchison to his transfer kitty, is stepping up his search for a right-sided midfield player.

And the Wearside boss, who already had money to spend on new players before selling Hutchison to West Ham United, could make a club-record bid to take Norwegian international Eirik Bakke from Leeds United.

Bakke has been unable to command a regular first team place at Elland Road, and while manager David O'Leary does not particularly want to lose the 24-year-old he could be tempted to part with a bid of around £5m.

This would exceed the club-record £4.5m paid by Sunderland last summer for Brazilian central defender Emerson Thome, but Reid is currently sitting on a bulging war-chest as he tries to steer the club into Europe.

Sunderland supporters are growing increasingly frustrated that Reid has not dipped into his available finances following the £3.6m purchase this summer of French international Lilian Laslandes.

Confirming that he has substantial funds available Reid said: "I'll be able to use the money from Don's sale - and I've got cash to spend. Getting in players is never easy but it's important we spend the money on quality and players who are right for the club and want to play for us."

Reid is likely to agree to another winger, Welsh international John Oster, who is attracting interest from Bradford City, to go out on loan with a view to a permanent £750,000 deal.

Reid, who was in Munich doing television work during England's memorable World Cup victory, has also been alerted by news that Ghana-born German substitute Gerald Asamoah, sickened by the racist abuse he has suffered while playing for Schalke 04, would consider a move to the Premiership.

The cash-strapped Norwegian side, Brann Bergen, heavily in debt after deciding to build a new stadium, are hoping that Sunderland will rekindle an interest in their £1m-rated winger, Alex Valencia.

Sunderland have also been linked with Ajax's Nigerian international, Tijani Babangida, while closer to home Burnley's 25-year-old London-born winger, Glenn Little, has been watched recently.

But Reid has ruled out any move for Liverpool's England international, Nick Barmby by stressing: "Nick Barmby isn't a player I'm interested in and I have made no approach whatsoever to Liverpool."

Sunderland defender George McCartney is likely to be called up into the Northern Ireland squad for Wednesday's game with Iceland after impressing for the under-21s last week.

l Newcastle expect to clinch the £2m transfer of Paris St Germain defender Sylvain Distin this week.

The 23-year-old centreback is set to sign in a permanent deal after the French club blocked a loan move bid by the Geordies.

Distin was wanted by Bolton but he is keen to link up with former teammate Laurent Robert on Tyneside.

He has been valued at nearly £4m but Newcastle stand to get him at a bargain price because of an upcoming ban on internal transfers in France.

Distin's arrival will push Spanish misfit Marcelino further into the cold at St James' Park.

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