STEVE BRUCE is embroiled in a three-way battle to sign Manchester City defender Richard Dunne as the Sunderland manager looks to make his first breakthrough in the transfer market.

Bruce and Niall Quinn, the Wearsiders chairman, have earmarked the reliable 29- year-old as the ideal man to add the grit they believe is absent from the current Sunderland squad.

But Bruce faces stiff competition from Tottenham Hotspur and Stoke City as he bids to sign the Republic of Ireland centre-half who would cost Sunderland around £5m.

After signing a new four year deal at Manchester City last summer, Dunne looked set to continue at the club he joined in 2000. But with Mark Hughes attempting to bring Arsenal defender Kolo Toure or Everton’s Joleon Lescott to Eastlands, Dunne is expected to leave.

Bruce announced earlier this week that, after making the switch from Wigan to Wearside, he would be shopping for players in Harrods rather than Tesco; capturing a player of Dunne’s pedigree would support the manager’s assertion.

If Bruce persuades Dunne to join the Black Cats he will be recruiting an uncompromising defensive stalwart very much in his own image.

Dunne has played close to 300 games for City and after attracting a reputation for disciplinary problems in his early career he’s blossomed into one of the Premier League’s most dependable performers. His aerial prowess from set-pieces would bring Sunderland additional attacking threat.

At international level Dunne is regarded by teammates as an inspirational figure and his heroic performance in the Republic’s 1-1 draw against Bulgaria last Saturday, when he played with a knee injury, exemplified the type of determined character Sunderland are eager to recruit. Following the game, where he helped keep the Republic’s World Cup qualification hopes alive, Shay Given likened his club and international team-mate’s performance to that of another Irish defensive legend.

“Since I have been at Manchester City, he has been fantastic. Against Bulgaria he was a real rock, Paul Mc- Grath-like, to be honest. It was unbelievable,” enthused Given.

Dunne joined Everton as a schoolboy from Irish club Home Farm and made 60 appearances for the Toffees before Joe Royle paid £3m to take him to Manchester City. Kevin Keegan was later a key influence in helping Dunne curb his youthful indiscipline and become an established first team regular.

■ Sunderland will play Hearts in a pre-season friendly on Saturday, August 8.