Sunderland skipper Dean Whitehead has been impressed by their new signings this summer.

Manager Roy Keane has been busy in the transfer market, bringing in goalkeeper Nick Colgan, defender Pascal Chimbonda and midfielders Steed Malbranque, David Meyler, El-Hadji Diouf and Teemu Tainio so far this summer.

Despite a 1-0 defeat by Ajax at the Stadium of Light on Sunday, Whitehead has seen enough of the newcomers to suggest they can be a hit on Wearside.

"We knew what the new players were about before they joined the club," he told BBC Radio Newcastle. "We can take a lot of positives out of the performance and build on it."