West Ham United defender Matthew Upson would have to take a pay-cut to move to Sunderland.

The Sunderland Echo says Upson IS a player Sunderland would be interested in - but only at the right price in terms of both transfer fee AND wages.

Boss Steve Bruce remains an admirer of the 31-year-old who he originally plucked from Arsenal's fringe squad in 2003 when he was Birmingham City manager - transforming the defender into a player who was sold to the Londoners for huge profit.

But Sunderland will not pay over the odds for a player in the autumn of his career who joined the Hammers on a megabucks salary.