Flo - no problem playing in reserves

The topsy-turvy "is he or isn't he" transfer saga of Sunderland's record signing Tore Andre Flo took another turn today, with his agent declaring that Flo wants to see out the remaining two years on his contract here.

Back in mid-June, Gunnar Martin Kjenner said his client was staying put in the north east despite being watched by four foreign teams and being told that to keep his international place he needed regular first team football in one of the top European leagues.

Athletico Madrid confirmed that although Sunderland had sent them a presentation about Flo in attempts to offload him, but they wouldn't be signing him.

Then early in July, there was interest from two Turkish clubs; Flo apparently didn't want to move to that particular country but Kjennar said his client was willing to listen to offers, and "Spain is the country that he would most like to move to".

No interest from Spain, but Italian clubs Siena and Brescia were interested in taking him on.

But the latest statement from Flo's agent pours cold water on any hopes that the Norwegian could be offloaded from Sunderland's crippling wages bill, despite being left to play in the reserves rather than accompany the first team on the pre-season tour of Scotland, and having his shirt number changed from 9 to 29. "Tore Andre has no plans to leave the club", said Kjennar. "He has two years left on his contract and relates himself to that. I have talked with him and he had no problems playing for the reserves."

Flo, the club's record signing at a reported £6.75m last summer, scored his first goal in nearly seven months last Wednesday in the reserves' game against Hartlepool.