Sunderland manager Steve Bruce has dismissed reports that Lee Cattermole is about to join Liverpool.

The combative midfielder has been linked with a move to Anfield and would be a direct replacement for Javier Mascherano, who is attracting interest from Inter.

Inter are known to be keen on reuniting Mascherano with former Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez at the San Siro.

New Anfield manager Roy Hodgson is reluctant to see the Argentina captain leave but could have his hand forced should the player hand in a transfer request.

A windfall of around £25million for Mascherano would swell Hodgson’s modest transfer kitty considerably.

With Sunderland’s Cattermole valued at around £10m, Hodgson would then have plenty of spare change to pursue his other transfer targets. Bruce, though, is adamant one of his star players is going nowhere.

The Black Cats’ manager has recently seen Cattermole’s midfield partner Lorik Cana join Galatasaray in pursuit of Champions League football and says he has no intention of allowing another of his influential players leave the Stadium of Light.

“I don’t know anything about that,” said Bruce when asked about stories regarding Cattermole’s future.

“And I have absolutely no intention of letting Lee leave this club – none whatsoever.”

Liverpool are thought to be one of several Barclays Premier League club’s interested in the 22-year-old but Bruce could tempt Cattermole to remain at Sunderland by offering the former Middlesbrough and Wigan player the captaincy vacated by Cana’s departure.

A 20-man Liverpool squad has arrived in Switzerland for a 10-day training camp.

None of the players involved in the World Cup have travelled but Greek defender Sotirios Kyrgiakos will join up with his team-mates today.

New signing Milan Jovanovic is also expected to link up with the squad in Switzerland but Spanish youngster Dani Pacheco is on international duty.

Liverpool will play three friendlies on the training camp, against Saudi Arabian champions.

Al Hilal on Saturday, Grasshoppers Zurich on Wednesday, July 21 and German side FC Kaiserslautern the following Saturday, July 24.