Sunderland can attract the talent to sustain a challenge in the Premier League if they can just stay in the top tier of English football this season, claims chairman Niall Quinn.

Last summer, and during the January transfer window, it was no secret that Roy Keane struggled to sell Wearside as the place for a footballer to ply his trade.

Money has not been a problem for the Drumaville consortium of Irish businessmen who own the club and they have forked out over £40million on players since the start of the season.

"Roy is well aware of what two or three years in the Premier League would do for us and what he needs, also," explained the Quinn.

"We are unanimous in where we are going - Roy, myself, the owners - and where we need to be. Our problem this year was attracting players. The money wasn't necessarily the problem - it was attracting the players.

"Hopefully, if we do stay up, that solid year behind us will have us ready to attract the next few signings who would be a tier up again. But that's the perfect scenario and life isn't always like that."