Record buy Asamoah Gyan of Ghana has some big boots to fill on Wearside, according to former Sunderland star Gary Bennett.
Gyan completed his £13m move from French side Rennes on deadline day as Black Cats boss Steve Bruce finally landed the man he wants to replace Kenwyne Jones, who joined Stoke for £8m last month.
Sunderland’s new signing came to the fore at the World Cup, scoring three goals as Ghana reached the quarter-finals before bowing out on penalties against Uruguay.
But Bennett, who was at the World Cup in South Africa working in the Football Supporters’ Federation Fans Embassy, says Gyan is a very different kind of player to targetman Jones.
“Gyan looked an excellent player in the World Cup,†said Bennett, who played more than 400 games in 11 years at Sunderland in the 1980s and 90s.
“He certainly caught the eye in South Africa and he was the one everyone was talking about from the Ghana team.
“But he’s got big boots to fill at Sunderland now Kenwyne Jones has left, because there aren’t many players like him around.
“Kenwyne was very good in the air, strong, athletic – on his day he was unplayable.
“But, of course, what all Sunderland fans will tell you is that we didn’t see Kenwyne at his best often enough.