Keane hopes to buy big

Apr 20 2008 by James Hunter, Sunday Sun

ROY KEANE wants to bring superstars to Sunderland this summer – but has warned the Black Cats board they don’t come cheap!

Keane’s first priority is making sure Sunderland are in the Premier League next term but he has already started planning for the future in the top flight.

He spent more than £40 million this season following promotion – but knows it will take another £40-50m to move up to the next level.

The focus this time will be on quality, not quantity, and he is setting his sights high, with Atletico Madrid striker Diego Forlan a top target.

“Sunderland have tended to struggle in the past to sign big marquee names,” he said. “I want to change that mindset.

“I don’t mean bringing in a name just to sell a few jerseys, but bringing players in who can do the business.

“People talk about Ronaldinho maybe coming to the Premiership this summer, but we have to live in the real world.

“If these players are available, I don’t think we can compete for them . . . yet. But we have to believe that one day we can.

“We can learn from other teams. If you look at Middlesbrough or Newcastle, they brought in the likes of Juninho or Mirandinha – signings that got people off their seats.

“That is something that I would love to do. If I can do it this summer, it would be fantastic.

“But they are big ifs, because you have go to try and seal the deals and back it up with money. Aside from the fee, these players don’t come over and play for free – top players want sixty, seventy, eighty grand a week in wages too.

“I’ve got one or two targets in mind and I would hope that they would make people sit up and take notice.

“They are not all going to be franchise-type signings but if you got one of those and then another four or five top professionals who know the Premiership, that would be ideal.”

Keane brought in 14 players this season but only four of from Premier League clubs, the bulk coming from the Championship with a couple from Scotland and one from overseas.

“I do believe we need to go onto the next level in terms of shopping,” Keane added. “I think Jose Mourinho tried to explain it one day in terms of where you do your shopping decides what kind of food you end up with.

“We want to go to the good shops.”