Sunderland boss Roy Keane is closing in on the summer targets, which is sure to have a striker, as the Black Cats will have to do without Kenwyne Jones for at least one month of the Premiership campaign.

The Black Cats have been linked with a host of strikers so far that include Tottenham’s Darren Bent, Everton’s Andy Johnson, Portsmouth’s David Nugent and most recently Manchester United’s Louis Saha.

Other outfield players linked with a move to the Stadium of Light are Tottenham’s Steed Malbranque and Steaua Bucharest’s Dorin Goian.

“I’m very hopeful, the players we have targeted have not moved to any other clubs,” Keane told the club’s official website.

“Of course we’d have liked the deals done as early as possible…but Niall [Quinn] and Peter [Walker] are busy doing the deals and fingers crossed we’ll have some new players by this time next week.

“I’m fairly confident that we’ll have one or two new ones here over the next few days, to join us for the second part of our Portugal trip.

“I’m hopeful of getting five or six new faces in by the start of the season.”

Trinidad & Tobago international Jones, meanwhile, is recuperating after having damaged knee ligaments in a close season friendly with England. And Keane confirmed that the 23-year-old faces up to two months out of action.

"We've got two or three weeks to play with yet but it would certainly rule him out for the first month or two whatever happens," he said.