Keane defends Chopra signing

Sunderland manager Roy Keane has told fans stunned by his move for former Newcastle striker Michael Chopra that he will sign the players he wants no matter what their background.

The 35-year-old Irishman's £5m swoop for the Geordie frontman was not met with complete approval on Wearside, where supporters still remember with some bitterness the goals he scored against the Black Cats for both United and Cardiff.

However, Keane insists he will recruit any player he believes can improve his squad regardless of where they were born or which clubs they have played for previously.

He said: "I don't care if they are from Newcastle or New Zealand, if I think they can come in and do a good job for the club, I will sign them.

"Michael's not afraid of a challenge. He went on loan to Forest and Barnsley and scored goals.

"It can't have been an easy decision to move to Cardiff, but he took a chance it worked out.

"I'm delighted Michael's here. As soon as I spoke to him, he was enthusiastic about coming to this football club.

"Michael had a very good season last year, he's a natural goalscorer and he will be a good addition to our squad."

Chopra's 22 goals for Cardiff last season - two of them at the Stadium of Light - won him his move back to the north-east as Keane finally made a breakthrough in his search for striking reinforcements.

The Wearsiders had earlier been linked with Diego Forlan, Alan Smith and Jermain Defoe among others, while they pulled out of a swoop for David Nugent as he stalled over giving them an answer.

In the circumstances, Chopra may not have been the name Sunderland fans were hoping for, but Keane, who will send out his side for their first pre-season game at Darlington on Wednesday evening, is confident he will improve his pool of frontmen.

He told the club's official website, www.safc.com: "We have got other good strikers here, Michael knows that and he knows he has a challenge.

"I'm relatively happy with the strikers in the squad. We have got good options and over the season, we will need that.

"We have Stern John, Anthony Stokes, Daryl Murphy, Dave Connolly and Stephen Elliott.

"Michael Chopra is slightly different. He's more of a fox in the box. He will push the other players.

"We have all got to raise the bar."

Chopra was Keane's third summer signing after Greg Halford and Russell Anderson, and he could take his spending spree to £14.5m today with the acquisition of Manchester United midfielder Kieran Richardson.

The 22-year-old England international was understood to be in the north-east for a medical this morning after the two clubs agreed a fee of around £5.5m.