Transfer Deadline Day: Striker Hunt Over As Bendtner Arrives From Arsenal

Steve Bruce's long and clearly frustrating search for an experienced striker has finally come to an end. Having spent most of the day fruitlessly trying to talk Peter Crouch into facing his fear of Northern England, Sunderland instead turned to Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner.

The Dane joins on a season long loan from the Gunners having fallen out of favour with Arsene Wenger, although there is a reported option to make the deal a permanent one.

Bruce knows Bendtner well having taken him to Birmingham on loan as a teenager for a very successful spell. On his new signing, Bruce told the Club's Official Site: 

"I've had the privilege of working with Nicklas previously. I had him as an 18-year-old and he helped clinch promotion for Birmingham.

"He's an outstanding talent and is a big, physical presence who will lead the line magnificently for us."

Whilst Bendtner is a much maligned figure at the Emirites, there can be little question that he brings with him a real pedigree. The hope will be that with regular first team football in a settled position he will finally be able to flourish into the player that he believes himself to be.

One man who must be delighted is Asamoah Gyan. The Ghanaian has cut a frustrated figure forging a lone furrow up front this season, and Bendtner, although not an especially physical player, does possess the size and height to occupy defenders and take some burden off Gyan.

Gyan himself was the subject of frantic and persistent deadline day speculation, but reports that he had requested a transfer were furiously denied by the club and people close to the player himself on twitter.