Bordeaux president Jean-Louis Triaud has apologised to Sunderland boss Steve Bruce for disparaging remarks about the club over their bid for Marouane Chamakh.

He said: "When I saw Steve Bruce's reaction... he said he didn't understand and that we'd insulted Sunderland a bit," said Triaud. "I sent him a little letter telling him that it was a misunderstanding and that we never said Sunderland wasn't a respectable club.

"If they took it that way, it's that we expressed ourselves badly and we apologize. It's a matter of courtesy."