Bruce happy with Da Silva capture

Sunderland boss Steve Bruce is confident he has unearthed another diamond after sealing a swoop for Paraguayan defender Paulo da Silva.

Bruce is currently focusing his attention on Portsmouth striker Peter Crouch, and has also been heavily linked with the likes of Darren Bent, Richard Dunne and Lee Cattermole.

However, the 48-year-old, who added his capture of 29-year-old Da Silva to that of Fraizer Campbell earlier this week, hopes he has maintained his knack of discovering previously unheralded talents such as Wilson Palacios.

He said: "I have had to. I have had big success in targeting the smaller South American countries, if you like.

"At the clubs I have been before, I couldn't get anywhere near the Brazilians or the Argentinians.

"However, we went into Honduras and we have gone into Ecuador and we have gone into Paraguay, and they have all done remarkably well.

"I hope Paulo will do exactly the same - he has certainly got the credentials.

"He has captained his country for the last five years, he was captain of his team, Toluca in Mexico, and has a wealth of experience.

"I don't think he missed a game in four years, and he is desperate to play in the Premier League, like most of them are.

"He will be trying to do exactly that."

Bruce's two signings to date are at very different stages in their respective careers with 21-year-old Campbell, secured for an initial £3.5million from Manchester United, ready to make his name at senior level.

Bruce said: "Fraizer is going to be young and hungry to kick-start his career and be an established Premier League player.

"He has got all the credentials to do that. We have seen glimpses of it as an England Under-21s player, so we are delighted we have got him."

Bruce confirmed the club's interest in Crouch - it is understood a fee is yet to be agreed - although even if he did manage to recruit a second striker of the summer, that would not necessarily be a sign that Kenwyne Jones, who has been linked with several clubs, is available.

Instead, the new manager believes it would send out a statement of intent.

He said: "The one thing we are trying to achieve here is trying to get an established Premier League football club.

"That's what we are trying to get, but it's not easy. If you have been in the Championship two years ago, the difference between the Championship and the Premier League is vast.

"Something like 48 clubs have been in the Premier League in the last 15 years, and 10 or 11 of them have been there from the year dot.

"That just shows you how difficult it is to establish yourselves. But that's our aim, of course."