Bramble training with West Ham

Defender Titus Bramble is training with West Ham, the club have confirmed.

Bramble’s three-year deal at Sunderland expired at the end of last season, a campaign in which the 31-year-old made just 19 appearances in all competitions.

The former Newcastle and Wigan defender is currently a free agent.

And West Ham revealed to OMNISPORT on Monday that Bramble was training with the club in a bid to improve his fitness.

The centre-back will now be hoping to do enough to impress West Ham manager Sam Allardyce.

Bramble left Sunderland after falling out with the club’s controversial manager, Paolo Di Canio, who fined him two weeks’ wages for missing a weights session.

He hit out at the Italian last month, telling the Daily Telegraph: “I’ve never played under anyone like him and I’ve played for some of the best managers around – Steve Bruce, Roberto Martinez and Sir Bobby Robson.

“He (Di Canio) thinks he knows everything, but he has got a lot to learn.

“He’s got a long, long way to go before he gets anywhere near as good as Sir Bobby Robson. He’s a young manager trying to stamp his mark on things, but he’s making some big mistakes.

“He’s targeted the easy players, the ones who are leaving anyway, trying to show he’s the boss. I was fined for not going to a weights session. Everyone else at the club thought it was ridiculous, but he’s trying to be tough.”