Brian Kidd was spotted at Sunderland training yesterday in the Algarve.

The Sunderland Echo says the Portsmouth coach was at the Black Cats training camp near Alcantilara to watch Steve Bruce's players work out.

And the Sunderland manager was quick to nip in the bud any suspicion that he might be looking to bring Kidd into his coaching set-up, or that Kidd might have any involvement in the prospective Peter Crouch transfer.

"Brian's got a villa over here in Portugal and was aware that we were coming over," he said. "He got in touch and asked if he could come and watch the players and see what we were doing and I was more than happy to invite him down.

"If I had been in Portugal on holiday and Portsmouth were training down the road from me, I would have done the same thing and I'm sure I would have been invited along.

"Brian's someone who I've known for a long, long time. I've kept in touch with him since our Manchester United days and he was made welcome here."