Damien Duff could yet sign for Sunderland as the Mackems step up their interest in the former Chelsea winger.
Although the club have been accused of being "obsessed with Irish players", Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn insists his club will not buy Irish players for the sake of it.
Duff For Sunderland - Latest News!
By Nu Mad
Updated Wednesday, 2nd July 2008
Quinn and manager Roy Keane are currently working to strengthen a squad and the former Man Utd midfielder is a big fan of Duff.Kevin Keegan is looking to sign a wide player and it is no secret that Duff has a price on his head.
The two former Republic of Ireland internationals, backed by the mainly Irish Drumaville consortium, have helped Sunderland establish a new fan-base in Ireland.
In addition, Keane's current squad includes nine players who have been capped at senior international level by Ireland, while the Sunderland boss is also linked with moves for Stephen Hunt, Kevin Doyle, Stephen Ireland, Damian Duff, Aiden McGeady and Richard Dunne this summer.
But the Wearsiders, who will head across the Irish Sea as they step up their pre-season preparations with games against Cobh Ramblers, Athlone Town and Shamrock Rovers, are determined to recruit the best players they can, regardless of their nationality.
Quinn: "We do have a big Irish connection but we don't purposely go out to sign Irish players. If there were two players, we would go for the one we wanted the most, not the Irish one.
"We have scouting systems in Ireland at all levels, which we did not have before, and we think we will see the benefit of that in years to come.
"It's respecting the clubs, the young players, the parents, the FAI. We have a close relationship with football in Ireland. We have paid a record fee for an Irish player (from the Eircom League).
"We would like to continue to nourish the link between Ireland and Sunderland.
"It makes us a bigger international club, because we are not relying on people within 20 miles of us.''
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