Sunderland manager Steve Bruce has claimed Barclays Premier League rivals Birmingham and Stoke could not afford to buy striker Kenwyne Jones who on his day is worth £40million.
The Black Cats boss does not want to sell the 25-year-old Trinidad & Tobago star after Birmingham and Stoke reportedly showed interest in the player.
Bruce told the Daily Mail: "Everybody's got their price, whether you're Steven Gerrard or Cristiano Ronaldo, and if something out there blows your brains.
"But with no disrespect to Stoke or Birmingham, can they afford him? I very much doubt it. It's not just the fee but wages, all the rest of it. I just can't see it.
"On his day, you can look at Kenwyne and say he's worth £40m, then on another day you'll think, 'Come on'. That's Kenwyne.
"He tests your skills as a manager. He's a big, genuine, nice lad. It's always the challenge - to get the best out of him."
Bruce told the Daily Mail: "Everybody's got their price, whether you're Steven Gerrard or Cristiano Ronaldo, and if something out there blows your brains.
"But with no disrespect to Stoke or Birmingham, can they afford him? I very much doubt it. It's not just the fee but wages, all the rest of it. I just can't see it.
"On his day, you can look at Kenwyne and say he's worth £40m, then on another day you'll think, 'Come on'. That's Kenwyne.
"He tests your skills as a manager. He's a big, genuine, nice lad. It's always the challenge - to get the best out of him."
Copyright (c) Press Association
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