Sunderland broke their transfer record to sign Asamoah Gyan 12 years ago, but the British press believes it was a mistake made by then-coach Steve Bruce. They argue that instead of signing Gyan, Sunderland should have signed Uruguay striker Luis Suarez. In comparison, both players had fantastic World Cup performances in South Africa in 2010. Suarez scored three goals to help Uruguay reach the semi-finals, while Gyan's four goals helped Ghana reach the final eight. Sunderland were interested in signing both players after the World Cup, but Bruce approved Gyan's signing for a then-record £13million, and according to the British press it was a huge error. Gyan scored 10 Premier League goals in his first season on Wearside before leaving to join Al-Ain FC, while Suarez went on to have an incredible career with Liverpool before moving to FC Barcelona. Former Ghana captain Asamoah Gyan revealed in 2017 why Bruce signed him. Gyan claims it was because he led the penalty shootout against Uruguay minutes after missing a crucial spot kick in the final minute of extra time. “Steve Bruce, the manager of Sunderland called me and told me that he signed me because of my mental toughness,” Gyan said on Joy FM. Gyan is Africa's top scorer at the World Cup with six goals and has scored a record 51 goals for the Black Stars. Watch the latest edition of Sports Debate and Sports Check below