Sunderland manager Roy Keane will be asking his board for a minimum of £40m, and preferably £50m, to spend in the transfer market this summer.
“The summer is an important period for the club if we are going to go on to the next level,” the manager said yesterday.
That meant competing “with the likes of Aston Villa, Blackburn and Spurs”, he said.
“We need at least £40m to buy four, five or maybe six players to compete at the next level. We need more quality. For us really to compete I would be looking at spending up to £50m on five or six players. I want to sign top, top players.”
Keane has spent much of the current campaign trying to keep his side in the top-flight, but back-to-back wins have convinced Keane to start planning ahead to next season in the Premier League.
I know the fans over the last number of years have been left disappointed in terms of getting their hopes up but that’s my job to try to fulfil their dreams.
“To be fair, the priority for us is just to try to make sure we are in the Premier League next year.
“We are having players watched at this moment in time, we are watching players all the time.
“Part of my job is to try to win the next game, but obviously, I have scouts who do their homework – that’s why you employ these people, to share the load.
“We have scouts all over Europe watching certain players and I will let them get on with their job.
“I am enjoying the challenge, yes. I am enjoying the challenge of being manager of Sunderland and making sure we are in the Premier League next year and can build for the next few years.”
