Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner was strictly a fall-back option for Sunderland boss Steve Bruce, it has been revealed.

The People says Bruce had a miserable last few days in the window, missing out on Peter Crouch and also failing to raise the cash for Freiburg's Senegalese star Papiss Demba Cisse.

Bendtner was the last striker ­option he had. The pair had previously worked ­together at Birmingham City, but the loan switch was a last-minute job.

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