Sunderland Fear Injured Jones Will Need Surgery

The full extent of Kenwyne Jones' knee injury will become clearer next month when the Sunderland striker visits a specialist to determine whether surgery is necessary. Although Jones damaged knee ligaments in early June following a challenge from England's goalkeeper David James during a friendly against his native Trinidad & Tobago, the injury has taken time to settle and a definitive prognosis duly deferred.

"We hope Kenwyne won't have to have major knee surgery," said Roy Keane, Sunderland's manager, yesterday. "But we'll find out in two or three weeks' time. It might be the case that he doesn't need an operation or that he just needs keyhole, but whatever happens he's certainly out for the first month or two of the season."

Major surgery would sideline the striker until New Year at the earliest - and conceivably for considerably longer - so Keane is hoping that Jones can follow the example of Dean Whitehead, Sunderland's captain. After Whitehead suffered a cruciate ligament rupture last August, his consultant opted to allow the injury to self-heal and the midfielder was back in the first team by late November.

Keane is hoping to strengthen his squad with some "statement" signings but, so far, progress is slow and he admitted he has yet to speak to a single potential new recruit during this close season. However, that could soon change with the Cork City midfielder David Meyler understood to be on the brink of a move to Sunderland.Ronaldo.