Quinn convinced that Keane will sign a new deal at Sunderland

Niall Quinn believes he can deliver the guarantees to keep Roy Keane at the club and he cannot see his manager's contract derailing Sunderland's ambition to become an established club in the Barclays Premier League.

Sunderland boss Keane is looking to Quinn and the club's Irish backers to fund at least £50 million of transfer dealings in the summer and then he will be prepared to discuss a new contract to replace the one which runs out in a year.

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Sunderland are celebrating after securing their top flight position with Saturday's win over Middlesbrough but Quinn is not concerned that Keane will be prepared to let his contract wind down to its final months rather than negotiate a new one for the sake of it.

Quinn said: "We have had great trust in each other from the start and I take at face value the way Roy feels. A contract is only a piece of paper. What's most important to both of us is the direction in which we're headed.

"I wouldn't dream of going in front of Roy and asking him to sign something if I wasn't sure about that. People may think I'm naïve and that I should be worried about him getting poached, but they have to remember our trust.

"The great thing about the relationship with Roy, myself and the investors is that there has never been any friction. We are both here for the same thing and we know the potential that there is, the club is on a lovely and exciting upward path and we're on the same road together."

While Quinn is delighted at staying up, he admits that it will mean even more to the Sunderland supporters, saying: "I'm thrilled for the town and what it means to the region.

"For all the people with the emotion of following this club in their hearts, it's just great. Maybe now they can start to feel like they're supporting a top club again."