Sunderland have completed the signing of Cardiff City striker Michael Chopra for £3.5 million.

Chopra left arch-rivals Newcastle only last season for £500,000. He had been offered a one-year deal by then manager Glenn Roeder, a fallback as Newcastle fretted over the chase for Obafemi Martins, but was advised to leave - by Alan Shearer.

Perplexed Sunderland fans were last night still trying to come to terms with such an unexpected turn of events.

Roy Keane said: "He looks like one of those players who was unlucky at Newcastle.

"I saw him play a number of times when he was at Newcastle, sometimes for their reserves against Manchester United.

"He looks like a natural goal-scorer."