Sunderland to make £12m bid for Stewart Downing

Sunderland boss Roy Keane is ready to turn to £12million-rated England winger Stewart Downing with his summer-long chase for Celtic star Aidan McGeady seemingly doomed to failure.

Keane had hoped to lure the Republic of Ireland wing wizard with a pay offer in the region of £2.5million a year.

But 22-year-old McGeady has made it clear he wants to stay with the Scottish champions after - signing a new five-year deal.

The Black Cats boss will now turn his attention down the A19 to Middlesbrough and their 18-timescapped flanker Downing.

Boro boss Gareth Southgate and chief executive Keith Lamb have repeatedly said they don't want to lose the outstanding product of their famous Academy, despite interest from Liverpool, Everton, Spurs and Villa.

But the capture of Dutch star Marvin Emnes, who can operate on either flank, could make them think again as Keane ponders breaking the club's transfer record.

Emnes, largely playing on Downing's favoured left flank, looked outstanding in the first half of an Algarve friendly against Celtic on Tuesday in which McGeady, ironically, was the other outstanding performer.

A move to Sunderland and the chance to remain in the North East could appeal to Downing.

Despite signing a five-year deal last season, local lad Downing has been upset by the stick he has repeatedly had to take from sections of the crowd.

And the 24-year-old has pleasant memories of a loan spell at Sunderland in 2003 when as a teenager he scored three goals in seven games before being recalled by then Boro boss Steve McClaren.

What is certain is that Keane is armed with the cash to make both Boro and Downing an offer that could be hard to refuse.

Keane (below) said: "I know the five or six players we're looking to bring in the next week or two would excite me in terms of bringing us to the next level. They will all be genuine Premier League class.

"The higher the quality of the player, the higher the wage packet, so it's a test for the club on that side of it because we have to be able to pay the sort of wages needed to get top Premier League stars."

Keane has lined up the £2.5million recruitment of El Hadji Diouf from Bolton. And he has made it clear he wants to drive the Black Cats into the Premier League safety zone.