Keane ready to spend in pursuit of Black Cats' survival dream

Roy Keane has outlined his ambitious spending plans to help to establish Sunderland in the Premiership, insisting he has no qualms about spending up to £20m on a potential target.

Keane is anxious to rid the Wearside club of their "yo-yo" image on their return to a top flight they of which retain bitter memories after relegation with a record points low in 2006.

A lack of transfer market investment doomed any hopes their former manager Mick McCarthy had of competing on a level playing field then, but Keane's generous backing by the club's owners, Drumaville, ensures that the mistakes of two years ago will not be repeated.

Sunderland's record transfer fee of £8m, paid to Rangers for Tore Andre Flo in 2002, is likely to be eclipsed if Keane is true to his word, as the Irishman said: "I'd not have a problem spending big money and giving big wages, I wouldn't blink an eye.

"I'd have no problem spending £8m or £10m or £20m, it wouldn't worry me because there's no doubt we can compete in the market. It'd be very easy for me to spend £15m in the next few days and grab the headlines but I have to bring in the right sort of characters. If I had to spend £10m on a player who I think can play a big part, then no problem."

Keane's current summer outlay is a modest £4m on the defenders Russell Anderson and Greg Halford. But after failing with a £9m offer for Spurs' Jermain Defoe and pulling out of a move for David Nugent after having a £7m bid accepted for the England striker, Keane has proved his intention to be among the significant movers and shakers in transfer market.

The confident Irishman has promised "four or five" new faces in the next couple of weeks in his quest to transform the squad that swept to the Championship title in May.

A £3m deal for the Southampton defender Chris Baird is expected to go through in the next 48 hours, while West Bromwich Albion's Paul McShane is also set to arrive for a similar fee.

Keane is expected to return with an improved £5m offer for the Wigan full-back Leighton Baines, and £6m-rated Hearts goalkeeper Craig Gordon remains a target.

He added: "It's a ferocious transfer market, but we have fees agreed with a few clubs and we're making progress, so I'm hopeful in the next week or so that we'll have another four or five players, names that will excite fans.

"Clubs are asking a lot of money for players, but then so would I, you can't lose sleep about it. There've been a few deals that have been out of our hands that have just not happened. If I felt we weren't doing enough, then I'd be frustrated, but that's not the case.

"The fans, everyone, needs to just chill out and relax and let me do the job. That's what I'm paid very well to do. Everyone's getting worried about this and that but you can't look at what other clubs have got. We've got to look at what we've got and we've got a great foundation to go on and have a good season. We're under no illusions we have to strengthen but we have a good spirit among everyone at the club."

The Irishman, who began pre-season training with his players on Monday, added: "I think we have been linked with 60, 65 players over the summer but that is the same for every manager. As long as the fans know we are trying to bring in the right players.

"There are no guarantees. Not one player has turned Sunderland down. One or two deals have broken down but I'm more than confident I can get the right players in. If you're having a hard time, the ones who've signed for the wrong reasons are the ones who go missing.

"We've got some very good players and a good spirit, but obviously we need a stronger squad because the Premier League tests you. We are negotiating with a few clubs about different players. We've got a few fees agreed with a few clubs but until the players sign on the dotted line, you don't know."

Keane pulled out of a potential deal for Preston striker Nugent last week due to the length of time it was taking to reach an agreement.

"I don't think it was a major saga," Keane said. "We agreed a fee with Preston at the end of the season and then David was away with the [England] Under-21s.

"I met with David after the tournament and enjoyed his company. We had a chat and I don't think it could have gone any better. But, not through David, the deal was maybe dragging its heels a little bit and I have to do what is best for the club. I felt we needed to go in a different direction.

"I wish him well, I think he's a very good player, but if anyone thinks we were hanging our hat on David Nugent and we don't have other players in mind, they're sadly mistaken."

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