Wayne Bridge: 5 Reasons Sunderland Got an Absolute Bargain

There are always bargains to be had on transfer deadline day, or throughout the rest of January for that matter.

It's just a case of finding the right ones for your club.

Martin O'Neill hasn't been with Sunderland long but it's no fluke that the club's upturn in results have coincided with the Northern Irishman's arrival.

O'Neill is a motivator and has had good results wherever he has managed.

With a loan deal going through yesterday that sees Bridge at the Stadium of Light until the end of the season, the English full back will be looking to remind managers and fans alike why he was once so highly thought of.

Here are 5 reasons Sunderland got an absolute bargain.

Wayne Bridge wasn't and isn't good enough for a title chasing side such as Manchester City or Chelsea which is why he has been waiting in the wings at the Etihad Stadium.

That's not to say he isn't a good player though.

Bridge will strengthen Sunderland—of that there is no doubt—and if he needs a bit of a confidence boost after being out for so long then Martin O'Neill is perfect for him.

Bridge has played for England when injuries have warranted his inclusion, so Sunderland fans will be happy they have a solid, reliable left back that won't let them down.

The nature of any true bargain is dependant on the price you pay for it.

Wayne Bridge has signed for Sunderland on a loan deal which means The Black Cats outlay was minimal.

In fact they are likely only paying the players wages.

Considering Manchester City are believed to have paid around £10 million for Bridge in 2009, that's a pretty good deal.

With any player coming into the Premier League from abroad, there's always a bedding in period.

That could be a day, or it could be a year or more for some. Occasionally players never bed in and are sold before they've even played 90 minutes of first team football.

Bridge doesn't have that problem.

The full back has played in the English top flight for almost the whole of his career and knows the pace of the game as well as anybody.

Martin O'Neill has seen his performances in the league and knows what he is getting.

Wayne Bridge has been capped 36 times for the England national team, and at 31 years of age he may feel he still has more to give.

Whilst not an obvious starting choice for Fabio Capello's men, Bridge may seek to get in the final squad that travels to Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine.

Pitch time is what he is likely to get at Sunderland, and pitch time is the only thing that will increase his odds of that happening.

O'Neill knows Bridge will be hungry to impress.

Wayne Bridge's timing couldn't have come at a better time for Martin O'Neill.

Titus Bramble has an achilles injury, Matthew Kilgallon has an ankle injury, Marcos Angeleri has a knee injury and Wes Brown is also struggling to shake a knee problem.

Sunderland find themselves with only John O'Shea, Phil Bardsley, Michael Turner and Louis Laing as 100 percent fit defensive options, so Bridge is likely to slot straight into the starting line up when he arrives.

That could prove crucial to The Black Cats points tally over the next few months.

All in all, Martin O'Neill has made a great acquisition in Wayne Bridge, and if he plays well and fits the Sunderland way I wouldn't be surprised to see him make a permanent move in the Summer.

Bridge will bring a wealth of experience to an injury-hit defensive lineup, at no cost.

If that's not good business then I don't know what is.

Thanks for reading and be sure to follow me on twitter @petercwebster where I post all my b/r content.