STEVE BRUCE has branded Asamoah Gyan's representatives as "parasites" and believes they are to blame for unsettling the striker during the transfer window.

Gyan was subject to intense speculation linking him with a move away from the Stadium of Light throughout the summer, rumours that have had a visible effect on the Ghana international.

Clubs in Spain and France were strongly linked with the striker during the close season, while Fenerbahce and Galatasaray reportedly made approaches on Turkish deadline day on Monday.

Clearly angered by the speculation surrounding one of his top performers, Bruce insists he never contemplated selling Sunderland's record signing and admits he is angered by the actions of the player's representatives.

The Black Cats boss believes the problems started after Gyan's impressive performance for Ghana against England at Wembley in March, with his representatives subsequently touting the player around Europe.

He said: "Since that game at Wembley, all the parasites, as I call them, have been hovering around him saying you are going to Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, to everywhere.

"People are in his ear, constantly trying to engineer a move for him but thankfully the window is now closed.

"He has had his head filled with nonsense. But that is what happens unfortunately in today's football world. We tried to dampen it. We have had no offer at all.

"When I bought him in 12 months ago, there is no question he lit the whole place up the way he is and I have detected since the England game, when he played so well, something has been troubling him.

"No matter what you try to quash and quell, the people around him want to make a fast buck, shall we say. It affects him.

"The big thing for Asa is to stop the nonsense that has been put in his head, but as I have said, we have not had one offer for him, not one.

"On deadline day, Marseille asked to loan him, so what do you think I said to that?

"The last thing I am going to do is put him out there. Why would I do that? Now if someone comes and says, 'Steve, will you sell your centre forward?' - that is a different proposition because we all know in football, as we have seen with Arsenal, everyone has their price. But there has never been a time when I contemplated selling him."

Now the transfer window is closed, Bruce has the job of getting Gyan's form back to the level he showed when he first signed, and the Black Cats boss admits he has had a meeting with the striker this week.

Unfortunately, a hamstring injury sustained on international duty will keep Gyan out of today's match with Chelsea, but Bruce hopes to have his star striker fit within a fortnight.

With John O'Shea also out with a calf injury, Bruce will decide between Titus Bramble and Michael Turner as to who partners Wes Brown in defence.

He said: "We have to get Asa back playing and being the personality I know he is.

"We have not seen that since the Wembley game.

"He is aware of it and certainly I have made him aware that the transfer window is now gone.

"I had a conversation with him two days ago and said, ‘Look, the window is closed, we need to see you back playing again, back the way we know you can play'.

"That is the manager's job, to turn it around and get him back focused, playing football again.

"It is a shame he has picked up this injury but we have to lift him and start afresh with him if you like, because we need him to be the player he really is."