Blues boss Paul Jewell has revealed that he asked Sunderland boss Steve Bruce whether former Blue Connor Wickham might be available for loan. The 18-year-old joined the Black Cats earlier in the summer for an initial fee of £8.1 million rising to more than £12 million with top-ups.

Jewell said: “I spoke with Steve the other day and we were chatting about various things. I thought he probably needed another year in the Championship and I said to Steve if they wanted to loan him back, we would take him. He, very cleverly, went on to another subject.

“I said to Steve I thought he needed another year in the Championship and then we’ll see if he is ready to make the step up.

“They bought him and he hasn’t played but he might catch fire. He has certainly got the attributes and he is a man in body. But, football-wise, he is a boy.”

Wickham, who is currently away with the England U21s, has so far made only three sub appearances for his new club and his immediate chances may be reduced further if the Black Cats sign another striker.

The Town boss said yesterday that he is looking for three more signings either before the transfer window closes at 11pm today or when clubs are able to take players on loan in a week’s time.

Photo: Action Images

bigfatjoe2 added 08:47 - Aug 31 nice if it happens
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bleedblue added 08:50 - Aug 31 Would be delicious if it happens
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BLUEBEAT added 08:57 - Aug 31 not gonna happen
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blues1971 added 09:01 - Aug 31 Have to be optomisic on this lol
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GTRKing added 09:08 - Aug 31 what we sold him so why want him back???
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JimmyJazz added 09:09 - Aug 31 Would rather it didn't happen. No chance of signing him permanently (obvious I know) and if he did well he'd be leaving at the end of the loan. Would rather develop our own strike force not Sunderland's
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blueblood66 added 09:10 - Aug 31 went a year too early, agree with Jewel. Hope his career doesn't now stagnate, as so many others his age have by taking the Premiership leap too early.
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paristractor added 09:11 - Aug 31 tell him to poke it...dont want spotty man back
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MaySixth added 09:13 - Aug 31 So the cheeky scouser rubs the geordie of £8 million and then says he want Wickham back. GENIUS
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casanovacrow added 09:15 - Aug 31 if he wanted him loaned back he should've made it part of the deal. they wont do it now. Sunderland aint exactly full of strikers are they
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TractorMan added 09:22 - Aug 31 I also thought this wasn't allowed in the same transfer window? So it isn't going to happen!
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cornishnick added 09:24 - Aug 31 But how is PJ going to keep all these strikers happy? He's a bit like a small kid at Christmas, opening a new present and throwing it over his shoulder so he can open the next one
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bontcho added 09:25 - Aug 31 Beat me to it, TractorMan, i think this is against rules. May be we're talking in January?
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muncer added 09:29 - Aug 31 Does the rule change once the transfer window ends and Championship clubs can continue to loan players from the premier league? Is this 'another window'?
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casanovacrow added 09:30 - Aug 31 As far as I know it's only against the rules between two premier league clubs. may be wrong though
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campowasgod added 09:36 - Aug 31 If Jewell had wanted him back this should have been a proviso of the original deal . Now Connor is a Sunderland player we will have to pay him , only play him when Bruce wants and return him at the drop of a hat. Poor from Jewell IMO
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muncer added 09:46 - Aug 31 Casanovacrow, I think you may be right. Maybe Jewell was under the impression that Connor would be featuring more than he has done, I expected the same after him being given the number 10 shirt. It's a good idea by PJ, and with Sunderland after Crouch it could come off, although with the strikers PJ has brought in it would be interesting to see how he includes them all.

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bluearmy78 added 09:55 - Aug 31 It could possibly happen if Bruce gets Crouchy????
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Bergholtblue added 10:01 - Aug 31 I agree with JimmyJazz, presumably Bruce would only let him come if he is guaranteed a first team place, that would be to the detriment of our own strikers. I read the story as 'had a word, got rebuffed, so moved on and got Murphy in instead'
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itfcjc added 10:06 - Aug 31 Not happening they're really short on strikers
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robdaful added 10:13 - Aug 31 No thanks.
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brockleyblueboy added 10:50 - Aug 31 blueblood66 - I think you will be right. Connor made such a mistake to 1 make the step up a year early and 2 Steve Bruce and Scumderland is not the manager nor the place for him to develope his career. He will now become an average striker bouncing from newly promoted club to to the other in the PL. Feel sorry for the lad and the people that turned his head should be ashamed. We did well by getting the cash and have improved our squad but he will not reach his full potential. I really hope I am wrong though. Unlucky Connor

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Guthrum added 10:50 - Aug 31 Worth a cheeky ask (and Jewell is nothing if not cheeky, it seems).
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Guthrum added 10:57 - Aug 31 Worth a cheeky ask (and Jewell is nothing if not cheeky, it seems).
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Garv added 11:12 - Aug 31 He reckons he needed another year in this league? Why the hell did we sell the guy then?! Don't want to be negative but we will regret this sale in the long term. Maybe Jewell's hands were tied by Evans I don't know but in my opinion it was a very poor move.
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