Sunderland Secure Their First Spur in Tainio

Sunderland last night announced the signing of Tottenham Hotspur's Teemu Tainio, the first of four players from the London club that Roy Keane is hoping to sign. It is a week since Tottenham accepted Sunderland's £23m bid for Tainio, Pascal Chimbonda, Steed Malbranque and Younes Kaboul and yesterday, after Chimbonda and Tainio underwent medicals on Wearside, the 28-year-old midfielder signed for the club.

Sunderland's manager welcomed the Finland international's experience: "The fact he has played more than 40 international games shows he has a lot to offer," Keane said. Teemu has shown versatility, playing in different midfield positions for both Tottenham and his previous club Auxerre."

Keane remains confident of luring at least two more of the quartet to the Stadium of Light but accepts that Kaboul is waiting for possible approaches from rival clubs. "There are one or two loose ends to be tied up. One or two of the issues are out of our hands, it's between the players and Spurs. Sometimes players have disagreements with the clubs they're leaving."

Keane, who has also made two further bids for un-named players and continues to covet Tottenham's Darren Bent, is not enjoying the wait. "If you want to meet an impatient person, then I'm one but I've been in the game long enough to know things can drag on a bit," he explained.

"We're also in discussions for one or two other players and I would hope the Tottenham deals will be done by the weekend and the other couple possibly next week."

Keane has long admired the Reading midfielder Stephen Hunt, whose team-mate, James Harper, could well be on the move should Lee Cattermole complete his mooted £3.5m transfer from Middlesbrough to Wigan. The England Under-21 midfielder was given permission to speak to Steve Bruce yesterday after the clubs agreed a fee.

Gareth Southgate, Boro's manager, has been told he must sell before he can buy and is likely to use the money from Cattermole's anticipated sale to finance a move for Harper.