SUNDERLAND manager Peter Reid saw his prime summer transfer target snatched away from him yesterday when top striker Pierre-Yves Andre agreed to sign for French champions-elect Nantes.

The Wearside boss has been tracking the 6ft 2ins centre-forward - who is available on a free transfer when his current contract with SC Bastia expires in July - since October, but the interest hotted up over the past few months, with Monaco and Glasgow Rangers joining in the chase

Reid had planned to travel to Corsica and open personal negotiations with the 26-year-old targetman immediately after his side's 1-0 victory at Southampton, but cancelled his travel arrangements when he was informed that the £2.5m-rated striker was about to agree a deal with Nantes and would not play in Bastia's home game against Guingamp.

Andre, who has scored eight goals in the French League this season is a much-coveted player and kept his options open to see exactly which clubs would moved for him.

His agent, Mike Morris, set up talks last week with Rangers' boss Dick Advocaat and chairman David Murray, and top French clubs Nantes and Monaco made firm offers for his services.

Reid was prepared to make Andre a very attractive offer to switch to the Premiership with an ambitious club, but the player has decided to remain in his home country and look forward to playing in the Champions' League next season with Nantes.

With two games remaining in the French season Nantes are at the top of the First Division, four points clear of their nearest rivals.

His decision will disappoint Reid, who is determined to establish Sunderland as one of the Premiership's leading clubs, though he admitted last week he cannot yet join the top echelon when it comes to paying out huge transfer fees like the £19m which Manchester United agreed last week with PSV Einhoven for Ruud van Nistelrooy.

But Reid has established a comprehensive scouting system in Europe and South America and believes that he can uncover more gems like 20-year-old Argentinian crowd favourite Julio Arca, who cost a modest £3.5m.

Reid recently personally checked on further targets in Argentina, who would be available at a fraction of the cost of top names in Europe, but he is still keeping close tabs on what is going on in France, believing that the Gallic players - like on-loan fullback Patrice Carteron - can quickly adjust to the English game.

Reid does have ample funds available to bring in proven players, but he is keeping a tight grip on the purse strings and will not be made to pay over the odds for possible targets he has earmarked, despite unrest among supporters who are impatient to see action in the transfer market.

Reid, whose greatest outlay in his six years at the club was the £4.5m paid to Chelsea for Brazilian central defender Emerson Thome, knows exactly how far he can stretch his budget.

He said: "I know I have a duty to supporters to get the best players I possibly can but at the same time I also have a duty not to put the club's finances in any danger, which is very important.

"Some clubs - QPR are the latest - have massive financial problems because of previous deals they have done.

"The team is the most important thing, but you have to build in a structured way."

l Sunderland edged closer to clinching the FA Premier Reserve League title by beating rivals Liverpool 2-1 last night.

Victory in the final match of the season, away to Leeds United on Thursday week, will give the Black Cats a third title in four years.

But they were made to battle all the way by a youthful Liverpool side who hit back to cancel out an early Kevin Kyle goal.

The 19-year-old striker, who made his Premiership debut as a second half substitute in Saturday's victory at Southampton, was perfectly placed to head home Simon Ramsden's third minute cross.

Sunderland lost John Oster through injury after 15 minutes to leave Kyle with little support, but substitute Tom Peeters and Paul Thirlwell missed good chances.

Liverpool, however, equalised in the 40th minute when goal keeper Jurgen Macho allowed a firmly struck drive from Steven Torpey to slip through his grasp.

Sunderland forced the pace in the second half without looking capable of regaining the lead until Neilsen dropped a cross from Thirlwell under pressure from Kyle and Thomas Butler lashed home.

Sunderland: Macho, Ramsden (Harrison 62), McCartney, Clark, Williams, Thirlwell, McGill (Wainwright 62), Lumsden, Kyle, Butler, Oster (Peeters 15).