SUNDERLAND boss Steve Bruce believes new striker Nicklas Bendtner has the potential to emulate the success Danny Welbeck enjoyed during his loan spell at the Stadium of Light.

Bendtner joined the Black Cats from Arsenal on a season-long loan on transfer deadline day, with the 23-year-old expected to make his debut against Chelsea today.

During his time at Arsenal, the Danish striker has shown plenty of potential but has found his opportunities limited with the likes of Robin Van Persie, Theo Walcott and Marouane Chamakh all vying for a starting place.

Bruce is no stranger to the 6ft 3in striker, having taken him on loan as an 18-year-old while in charge at Birmingham City.

That season, Bendtner scored 13 goals to catapult the Blues back into the Premier League, and Bruce is adamant regular first-team football will see the striker become a key figure for his side this season.

He said: "I hope it is another Danny Welbeck, that is what I kept saying to him.

"Look what's happened to Danny. He shot from being on loan at Preston to playing for England," So we hope we can give him the platform and certainly, he is a wonderfully gifted footballer, no question of that.

"He will be a big asset to us and I am delighted we have been able to bring him here.

"He is 23, so I'm not going to put it all on him, but he has got something about him. He has got an edge which makes him play, all the great players have that edge, and while he is not a great player yet, he could be if he plays week in week out for us.

"His midweek performance was absolutely breathtaking (he scored twice in Denmark's 2-0 win over Norway on Wednesday), I just detect a hunger about him which I like.

"When I bring in loan players, there has to be something about them, they have to be desperate to prove something. Onuoha, for instance, did fantastically well, and so did Danny Welbeck."

Bruce believes the stop-start nature of Bendtner's Arsenal career has frustrated him, but he believes the player has the right attitude to become a top player.

He said: "He is hard work in a good way. He is in your face, wants to do everything, a very likeable lad. He is larger than life and always has something to say. But there is not a bad bone in him. He's definitely not a bad apple, he's just nuts.

"It was all a bit stop-start for the last 12 months but he can prove himself here."