Keane looking to plan for quality over quantity

The 36-year-old took his total spending as Sunderland boss to around £44million yesterday when he paid Charlton £4million for Republic of Ireland midfielder Andy Reid.

Reid became the Black Cats' fifth January signing and the latest addition to a squad which has changed repeatedly since Keane became manager in August 2006.

The Irishman insists there is still a way to go before he is happy with the players at his disposal, and has forecast a change in emphasis as continues to rebuild.

Keane said: "That will take another few transfer windows, I have to say. You are always looking to improve your squad.

"But you do hope the more transfer windows I am here, the less players we will be buying, but we will try to improve the quality all the time.

"We had to buy a lot of players in the summer. We brought a few in last week, but one of them, Jean-Yves Mvoto, is just a young kid, one for the future, and Jonny Evans is just on loan, so we have not made wholesale changes.

"Hopefully the longer I am at the club and the more windows, we will be bringing in fewer and fewer players and just trying to improve the quality.

"People like Andy Reid do add quality to your squad, no doubt about it."

Reid, 25, is a former international team-mate of Keane's and one he had little hesitation in signing once he had been given permission to talk to him yesterday afternoon.

The manager said: "We probably spoke for under five minutes. I did most of the talking and he was keen to join Sunderland. That's very important when I meet a player, that they are not messing you about too much.

"If you look at a lot of the players I have brought to the club, I have either played with them or against them. Hopefully, I will have inside knowledge on that side of it, but I know he is a good lad and most importantly, I know he is a good player, he is a quality player.

"He looks to see a pass, and if you want to play for Sunderland, particularly in the middle of the park, you have got to be willing to receive the ball in any situation, and he certainly does that.

"Hopefully we will see the best of him for the next three and a half years."

Reid will not figure in tomorrow's difficult Barclays Premier League trip to Liverpool as he recovers from a knee injury with his side looking to ease themselves further clear of the drop zone from which they emerged with Tuesday night's 2-0 win over Birmingham.

However, Keane, who made his senior Nottingham Forest debut at Anfield, knows that will count for nothing as the Reds attempt to bounce back from their costly 1-0 defeat at West Ham in midweek.

The former Manchester United skipper can be assured of a hostile welcome on the red half of Merseyside, but that will not worry him one bit.

He said: "I was very fortunate that night to make my debut at a ground like Anfield. No-one knew me that night - it might be slightly different tomorrow, but it's a game I am looking forward to.

"There was a great rivalry, particularly when I was a United player, but I always had great respect for Liverpool as a club, and hopefully that will never change."