Bruce tried to lure Beckham to Sunderland

Steve Bruce has admitted that he tried to get Golden Balls to join him in the Stadium of Light on loan.

David Beckham ended up spending two loan spells at AC Milan in an attempt to get picked for the England World Cup squad before injury put paid to the Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder's hopes of playing last summer's big tournament in South Africa.

But Beckham's former Manchester United team-mate had wanted him to head to Sunderland rather than jet off to Milan to eat pasta and spend his spare time milling around the city's many designer shops.

"Certainly I tried to sign Beckham 18 months ago," Bruce says.

"I did try when he went to Milan. Milan or Sunderland or Birmingham or Wigan?

"He just said 'thanks Brucie, I'm going to Milan'.

"I understand that. Milan and Prada or Sunderland and Primark?"