Keane to be handed €31m kitty by Drumaville chiefs

SUNDERLAND boss Roy Keane will be handed £25 million (€31m) by his Black Cat bosses to boost his squad for the club’s second season back in the FA Premier League.

The money will come from the Drumaville Consortium, season ticket sales, TV money and new advertising promotion projects. The Black Cats boss had originally indicated that he would like funds in the region of £50m (€62m), but accepts that there is a limit to the finance available.

Keane is targeting five players with experience of playing at the top level either in England or Europe. To boost his buying power, there could be a clear-out of fringe players at the Stadium of Light in the weeks ahead.

“After less than a season in charge, Roy won us immediate promotion from the Championship. That was followed by 15th place in the Premier season just ended. Now the club want to move further up the pecking order to challenge the likes of Blackburn Rovers, Aston Villa and Portsmouth,” said a source close to the Drumaville Consortium.

Northern Ireland defender Johnny Evans, outstanding on his loan spells from Manchester United, will be one of Keane’s first targets to have the player on a permanent basis.

There have been suggestions that Keane may consider making bids for the Irish pair of Stephen Hunt and Kevin Doyle after Reading’s relegation from the top flight. But more likely is that his backroom staff will scour Europe for available players of top quality.

Sunderland have confirmed their pre-season games in Ireland this summer.

The Black Cats plan two games in a brief trip to the Republic in early August. They will face Athlone Town at the Lissywollen ground on Thursday, August 7, kick-off 7.30pm and Shamrock Rovers at Tolka Park on Saturday, August 9, kick-off 7.30pm.

Athlone Town, the oldest club in the Republic, now play at their new 6,000-capacity Lissywoollen ground.

Roy Keane’s men will then go to Dublin on Saturday August 9 – to take on Shamrock Rovers.