Keane backing for new boy Chopra

The 23-year-old Cardiff striker has signed a four-year contract with the Black Cats which could be worth up to £5million.

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Chopra, who was born and bred in Newcastle and scored his only Barclays Premier League goal for the Magpies in a 4-1 romp at Sunderland, becomes Keane's third summer signing after the arrivals of defenders Greg Halford and Russell Anderson.

Sections of the club's support have voiced their opposition to his recruitment because of his Geordie roots and the glee with which he celebrated his two goals for Cardiff in the 2-1 victory against Sunderland last season.

However, Keane is confident he will continue the form which saw him score 22 goals for the Bluebirds in last campaign.

"I am delighted that Michael has joined us. He is a natural goalscorer who will bring competition with our other quality strikers to the side," said Keane.

"I am very confident he will score goals for this football club."

Chopra may have to do that in abundance if he is to win over his critics on Wearside.

Sunderland were leading their derby rivals 1-0 on April 17 last year when the England Under-21 international came off the bench and equalised within seconds.

Newcastle went on to claim the points with Alan Shearer - in what proved to be his last game for the club - Charles N'Zogbia and Albert Luque sealing victory in depressing style for the home fans.

Chopra returned to haunt the Black Cats again last season when, having completed a £500,000 summer move to Ninian Park, his double saw Cardiff triumph 2-1 on Wearside on October 31.

In addition, he will have to contend with the pressure of a price tag which has grown rapidly in the space of 12 months and the fact speculation linking the club with Diego Forlan, Jermain Defoe, Paul Scholes, Alan Smith and David Nugent in recent weeks had left supporters anticipating the arrival of a bigger name.

The former England youth international emerged from the ranks at Newcastle with a huge reputation.

A former pupil at Gosforth High School, like Shearer, he was tipped to follow in the £15million striker's footsteps but was never able to establish himself in the senior side.

He scored three goals in 31 first team appearances either side of successful loan spells at Watford, Nottingham Forest and Barnsley, and despite being offered a new one-year deal last summer, opted instead to join Cardiff.

Ironically, Shearer's retirement and injuries to Michael Owen and Shola Ameobi left the Magpies short of strikers last season and then manager Glenn Roeder had to recruit Obafemi Martins, Antoine Sibierski and loan signing Giuseppe Rossi in an effort to plug the gap.

A year on, Chopra is now preparing for another crack at the Premier League and perhaps an even bigger challenge than the one he faced at St James' Park.

Reports today also suggested Sunderland had agreed in principle a £5.5million deal for Manchester United winger Kieran Richardson but the club refused to comment.

England international Richardson, 22, is also being linked with Manchester City as new boss and former national team coach Sven-Goran Eriksson rebuilds his squad.