Black Cats end Crouch pursuit

The Black Cats agreed personal terms with the 28-year-old when he travelled to Wearside to meet manager Steve Bruce and discuss a proposed £12million last Thursday.

However, Sunderland have decided not to pursue the matter further, believing the England international wants to remain in the south with Fulham and Tottenham also targeting him.

Bruce hinted in the hours immediately after speaking to Crouch that suggestions he was reluctant to move to the north-east could prove accurate.

He said after the Black Cats' 4-0 friendly win at Darlington on Thursday evening: "Location is the big thing, probably, in it, but we will do our utmost - and we have. That's all we can do.

"We have had him up, we have done our utmost, the club has backed me. We have done everything we possibly can and if we can pull it off, it will be a terrific signing for the club."

Tuesday's development has simply confirmed Bruce's worst fears, and he will now turn his attention to alternative targets.

He remains on the trail of Bordeaux's Moroccan international striker Marouane Chamakh, although Sunderland are one of several clubs, along with Arsenal, to be linked with the player, who has admitted even he is not convinced about the Gunners' reported interest.

Darren Bent has also been in the club's sights for some time now, although Spurs' valuation of a man for whom they paid £16.5million could be a problem.

Bruce has already landed Hull frontman Fraizer Campbell and Paraguay international defender Paulo da Silva this summer, but Crouch is the first of the six targets he identified to chairman Niall Quinn following his own arrival at the Stadium of Light to have slipped through the net.