According to the Daily Mail, Sunderland made a £1.5million bid for Manchester City striker Benjani Mwaruwari.

UPDATE: According to ESPN Soccernet, Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez confirmed that the club have held talks with Sunderland. Benitez said,

“I was not dealing with this … (Managing director) Christian Purslow has been talking with (Sunderland chairman) Niall Quinn so they have to manage the situation because I was not doing anything.

“I prefer not to talk too much because we will create a debate so Christian and Niall will continue to talk if they need to talk. They were in contact but I don’t know what the situation is now.”

January 19th, 2010 According to Ian Laws at The Shield Gazette, Liverpool are considering making a bid of £12million for Sunderland striker Kenwyne Jones.

However, according to Ian Doyle at the Daily Post, Sunderland have slapped a price tag of £10million for Jones.

UPDATE: According to ESPN Soccernet, Salvador Cabanas was shot in the head in a bar attack and is in serious condition.

January 12th, 2010 According to Ian Parkes at The Independent, Sunderland boss Steve Bruce is interested in Club America striker Salvador Cabanas. Bruce said,

“I’ve monitored Cabanas. He’s a fantastic player and whether a deal is possible for him, I don’t know …He’s somebody who would be of interest to us, but I’m sure if he became available, there would be a lot more clubs interested too.”

According to Sky Sports News, Sunderland manager Steve Bruce is looking to sign a new defender. When asked about his defense, Bruce said,

“That’s where we have to improve … We’ve got strength in that area and before the window closes, hopefully we can strengthen again … Obviously with the injuries to Nosworthy and Ferdinand, we are very, very short at the moment.”

“We’re chipping away at various different things and whether something will progress in the next few days, I’m not so sure. But we’ll keep trying.”

UPDATE: According to The Shields Gazette, Guy Demel has decided to turn down a move to Sunderland despite being offered double what he is currently making. Demel told the Hamburger Morgenpost,

“I will stay with Hamburg. That is certain … What made me happy was the telephone call that I had last week with our club boss (chairman) Bernd Hoffmann.”

“He said to me that he would be pleased if I would continue to play for Hamburg when I come back from the African Nations Cup. And I also realised that many fans did not want me to go … I could have made almost double in Sunderland what I earn with Hamburg.”

January 18th, 2010 According to Thomas Zocher at Sky Sports News, Hamburg have not received any bids for Guy Demel. Chairman Bernd Hoffmann said,

“It has been in the news that there is an interest of a club from England in the services of Guy Demel … There has, however, not been any bid for him coming in. Looking at the current fact, Guy Demel is still part of our Bundesliga squad.”

January 14th, 2010 According to ESPN Soccernet, Hamburg defender Guy Demel is drawing interest from AC Milan. Demel told Morgenpost,

“I know about the interest (from Sunderland) … I also know that AC Milan and another English club would like to sign me … But, I am still a Hamburg player. I have felt very content in all my years in Hamburg and continue to be part of this team.”

January 12th, 2010 According to Graeme Anderson at The Shields Gazette, Sunderland boss Steve Bruce is pursuing Hamburg defender Guy Demel who is out of contract with the club after the season.

According to Sunderland’s official website, Sunderland have signed Sheffield United defender Matthew Kilgallon for an undisclosed fee. Kilgallon signed a three-and-a-half-year deal with the club.

UPDATE: According to The Shield Gazette, David Healy would like to go back to Leeds United. Healy said,

“I know my future is not going to be at Sunderland … I’m more than willing to go back to the Championship and get back to enjoying my football again … It’s been a disappointing time and people have said that it’s time to move on, but when you have a contract and a family where you live, sometimes it’s difficult.”

I haven’t got my eye on anywhere. I have been linked to a number of Championship clubs, but I can’t name anybody … But it’s two weeks until the end of the transfer window, and I know that things aren’t going to progress for me at Sunderland … If there was a club I was ever going to go back to play for, it would be Leeds. I have huge affection for the club.”

January 2nd, 2010 According to Graeme Anderson at The Shields Gazette, Sunderland striker David Healy is looking to leave the club so that he can get more playing time. Healy said,

“The time has come for me to look at other options if I am only going to get 10 minutes here and 15 minutes there at Sunderland … I don’t know if anything will happen during this transfer window, but I certainly have to consider it. ”

“When you train all week, all you want to do is play at the weekend, and have something to show for your efforts … Going to Old Trafford, Anfield, the Emirates and Stamford Bridge is what football is all about. ”

“Unfortunately for me, most of my experiences have been as a substitute and it leaves you wanting more … The top flight is the best place to be and every player wants to experience it, but if something happens and I move out of it, then so be it.”

“I’m not above the Championship or League One. I’ve played there before and enjoyed it … It’s a no-brainer for me - if it is the best thing for my career to drop out of the Premier League then I will certainly do that, but let’s see what January brings.”

According to ESPN Soccernet, Tottenham are the favorites to land Portsmouth defender Younes Kaboul. A Popmpey insider said,

“Yes, we are working on a deal with Spurs, but yes it is pretty complex. Spurs look favourite to sign Kaboul but five clubs have shown interest, three from the Premier League, Spurs, Manchester City and Sunderland.”

Tottenham would most likely receive £2million off the signing of Kaboul as Portsmouth still owes Tottenham £2million from when they bought Kaboul.

UPDATE: According to Sky Sports News, Steve Bruce has no intention of swapping Kenwyne Jones. Bruce said,

“The one thing I am trying to do is build the squad and build the squad to improve … The last thing I want to be doing is trade or anything like that.”

UPDATE: According to Laura Williamson at the Daily Mail, Liverpool are now trying to sign Sunderland striker Kenwyne Jones on loan. It is even reported that Jones could be set to take a medical for the club today.

January 17th, 2010 According to Alan Nixon at the Sunday People, Liverpool were set to swap Ryan Babel with Sunderland striker Kenwyne Jones. However the Dutch striker turned down the move.

According to Joe Bernstein at the Daily Mail, Sunderland and Stoke City are both interested in Manchester United goalkeeper Ben Foster. It is reported that Foster is available for around £4million after falling behind goalkeepers Edwin Van der Sar and Tom Kuszczak.

According to Pa Sports at MirrorFootball, Schalke had accepted an offer for striker Kevin Kuranyi but the player turned down the move.

Birmingham and Sunderland had been linked with Kuranyi the past few months.

According to Graeme Anderson at The Shields Gazette, Sunderland are not looking to loan out 17-year-old striker Ryan Noble. Manager Steve Bruce said,

“I’ve got to say that we’ve had plenty of enquiries for our youth players in the transfer window so far … The phone has not stopped with people wanting young Ryan Noble on loan all of a sudden.”

“But my thoughts are very simple in that respect– not yet … The lad is only 17. No matter how well he’s done this season, that’s not something we’re going to forget … He’s very much a baby in footballing terms, and we have to look after him and protect him, I think, at this stage of his career.”

UPDATE: According to ESPN Soccernet, Hamburg defender Guy Demel is drawing interest from AC Milan. Demel told Morgenpost,

“I know about the interest (from Sunderland) … I also know that AC Milan and another English club would like to sign me … But, I am still a Hamburg player. I have felt very content in all my years in Hamburg and continue to be part of this team.”

January 12th, 2010 According to Graeme Anderson at The Shields Gazette, Sunderland boss Steve Bruce is pursuing Hamburg defender Guy Demel who is out of contract with the club after the season.

According to Sunderland’s official website, Sunderland have terminated the contract of defender Russell Anderson by mutual consent.

According to Graeme Anderson at The Shield Gazzette, Sunderland boss Steve Bruce dismissed the link with Wigan Athletic goalkeeper Chris Kirkland.  When asked about the rumor, Bruce said,

“Talk of me bidding £5m for Chris Kirkland is garbage, but he is a very good goalkeeper, and I’m a big, big admirer of him … Some of the players I’ve been linked with have been ridiculous, but you come to expect that in January and there’s nothing we can do about that … What I will say is that we’re working on one or two things, and hopefully we can see them progress.”

According to Colin Tattum at the Birmingham Mail, Birmingham may pull out of the bidding for Sunderland striker Kenwyne Jones as the total fee to sign him “has apparently sky-rocketed.”

UPDATE: According to ESPN Soccernet, Portsmouth are looking for a minimum of £14million for defender Younes Kaboul.

January 7th, 2010 According to Sky Sports News, Sunderland have joined Lyon in the race to sign Portsmouth defender Younes Kaboul.

UPDATE: According to Sky Sports News, Schalke 04 striker Kevin Kuranyi is fully committed to the club. Kuranyi said,

“I try not to get involved in it (transfer talk) too much … I want to have success with Schalke. We are in a very good situation at the moment.”

“I have already had success here for three-and-a-half years and have also experienced difficult situations, but I feel good here and I am of course committed heart and soul to Schalke.”

January 7th, 2010 According to Alan Nixon at MirrorFootball, Sunderland are interested in signing Schalke 04 striker Kevin Kuranyi and are prepared to make a bid of £3.5million. The signing of Kuranyi would most likely lead to the departure of Kenwyne Jones.

According to Sky Sports News, Sunderland have joined Lyon in the race to sign Portsmouth defender Younes Kaboul.

According to Simon Johnson at the London Evening Standard, Sunderland have stepped up their efforts to sign Tottenham defender Alan Hutton and midfielder David Bentley.

However it is reported that Tottenham want £4million for Hutton and £10million for Bentley.