Miller told he can leave as Keane builds for the future at Sunderland

The Black Cats today placed 27-year-old former Celtic and Manchester United midfielder Liam Miller on the transfer list as Keane prepared for another summer recruitment drive.

Scroll down to read more:

Miller was one of six men drafted in by the Irishman within days of his appointment in August 2006 and has now joined four other members of that sextet in being told he is surplus to requirements.

Only 36-year-old Dwight Yorke remains part of Keane's plans, and his current contract runs out at the end of the season.

Ross Wallace, David Connolly, Graham Kavanagh and Stanislav Varga, who arrived at the Stadium of Light along with Miller and Yorke on transfer deadline day that season, have all been told they can look for new clubs, along with later arrivals Greg Halford and Ian Harte.

Full-back Stephen Wright, a survivor of the Peter Reid era, is also available, while Andy Cole will see out the remainder of his contract on loan at Burnley.

Kavanagh, Halford and Varga are also currently also out on temporary deals at Sheffield Wednesday, Charlton and Burnley, although Miller could only join a Football League club on an emergency loan deal before securing a permanent switch at the end of the season.

He has made 21 senior appearances this season, 14 of them in the starting line-up, and scored one goal, a late equaliser in the 2-2 derby draw at Middlesbrough.

The Republic of Ireland international is currently recovering from a calf injury and had been pencilled in for a possible return in the reserves this evening.

Keane has dipped into the transfer market since his arrival on Wearside, investing around £44million in total to date with Phil Bardsley, Andy Reid and Rade Prica his latest acquisitions during the January window.

Today's announcement came as Keane stepped up preparations for Saturday's trip to bottom-of-the-table Derby, where his side will again look for a first league away win this season after losing a club-record equalling 10 on the trot.

Last weekend's 1-0 reverse at Portsmouth left them in 15th place in the table, four points better off than Reading in 18th, but still perched precariously.

However, the manager remains confidence the passion and attitude within his squad will provide the basis for a successful survival fight.

He said: "If you haven't got that, you have got nothing. If you want to be a top footballer, you have got to have drive and passion.

"That has no doubt helped us in a lot of games when sometimes our quality has let us down.

"But there is no questioning the desire and determination of our players, and that is what we will need between now and the end of the season because, trust me, there will be some ups and downs.

"It is about how you handle the disappointments, and we have had a fair few this season, remember.

"But the players always react in a positive way - you look back and even the disappointment of the Everton game (a 7-1 away loss), a bad defeat like that, and then we bounced back the following week and won.

"The players constantly get up from the knockdowns they receive, and that's a great sign for me to have."

Meanwhile, Keeper Martin Fulop has been recalled from his loan spell at Stoke after just four days because of an injury to Craig Gordon's deputy, Darren Ward.