However, almost as much of the talk surrounding the Stadium of Light was about departures as arrivals. Reports have suggested Birmingham have tabled an £11million bid for Trinidad and Tobago international striker Kenwyne Jones. But it is believed that, while there has been an enquiry from the Midlands club about the 25-year-old, there has as yet been no formal offer. Stoke have also been linked with Jones, who cost the Black Cats £6million when then manager Roy Keane recruited him from Southampton in August 2007. He enjoyed an excellent first season on Wearside, prompting Keane to suggest at one point that he was worth as much as £40million, although his second campaign was hampered by a nasty knee injury picked up during a summer international in a collision with England keeper David James. Sunderland did reject an offer of around £15million from Tottenham for the frontman in January last year and instead handed him a lucrative new long-term contract. However, the feeling is that they may now be prepared to at least consider a significant bid, although how interested Jones would be remains to be seen. Bruce has been credited with an interest in Germany international striker Kevin Kuranyi, who is out of contract at Schalke 04 at the end of the season. It is understood that the Black Cats are among a series of clubs monitoring the player's situation - although the Brazil-born 27-year-old, previously a target for Birmingham, could yet opt to wait until the summer before assessing his options. Meanwhile, Sunderland have also been linked with Hamburg's Ivory Coast international defender Guy Demel, who is currently on African Nations Cup duty in Angola. However, they are likely to resist any approach from French club Lyon for influential skipper Lorik Cana just six months after he completed a £5million switch to the Premier League from Marseille.
