McCarthy to continue search for striker

Sunderland boss Mick McCarthy is refusing to give up his search for a striker after learning of David Connolly’s decision to opt for Leicester instead of the Black Cats.

The 27-year-old Republic of Ireland international today clinched a three-year deal at the Walkers Stadium a matter of days after the Wearsiders attempted to lure him further north as he underwent a medical in the East Midlands.

The news came as a blow to McCarthy, who tried to land the striker last summer before he moved to West Ham.

However, he insisted he would not give up and has already turned his attention to his remaining targets.

“We made David a good offer,” McCarthy told the club’s official website, www.safc.com, as he prepared his players for the final game of the American tour against the Wilmington Hammerheads.

“I very much appreciate the efforts made by the board to bring him to the club – they backed me 100% on this.

“However, he has decided to join Leicester and we’ll move on now and set our sights elsewhere.”

Connolly would have been Sunderland’s seventh summer signing, but it was Foxes boss Micky Adams who was celebrating this evening.

“We needed to replace Paul Dickov, which is a hard act to follow, but in David, we have signed someone with a proven goalscoring record,” Adams told Leicester’s official website, www.lcfc.premiumtv.co.uk.

“He averages one goal every two appearances for his league clubs and one in four for his country, for whom he has won 40 caps.

“We are hoping that he scores the goals that will hopefully put us in the promotion picture.”