Midland rivals and Championship promotion challengers Aston Villa and Wolves have both been linked with Sunderland loanee Lewis Grabban.
Steve Bruce left no one in any doubt where his Aston Villa side stand in the race for Bournemouth striker Lewis Grabban.
The Cherries have an option to re-call the 29-year-old from his loan spell at Championship strugglers Sunderland and reports had suggested that Villa were keen to sign Grabban to ease their striker shortage.
It’s common knowledge, however, that the threat of Financial Fair Play sanctions mean the Midland giants are looking at the loan market – and are therefore unable to afford to fee required to take Grabban from Bournemouth on a permanent basis.
“I have said for three months I am looking at loans,” a seemingly frustrated Bruce said in quotes reported by The Chronicle on Friday.
“How can I be linked with Lewis Grabban? I haven’t got the money. Put a line through it.”
Villa fans may be disappointed to hear Bruce rule out a move for a red-hot striker who has scored 11 times in 17 Championship games for relegation-threatened Sunderland this season.
But his words may be music to the ears of local rivals and fellow promotion challengers Wolves. The Chronicle claims that the league leaders have enquired about Grabban’s availability with some support needed to back up Leo Bonatini in attack.
And unlike Villa, Wolves have no money worries with their ambitious Chinese investors willing to pay big to give the club their best chance of reaching the Premier League as soon as possible.
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