Sunderland manager Roy Keane has sparked rumours by suggesting to journalists that he may leave the Stadium of Light at the end of the current season, when his present contract with the club will expire:

“I’m fairly confident that come the end of my time at the club, whether that’ll be six or seven months’ time, I’ll look back and say the club has made great progress.”

Keane had said that he joined the club with a three-year mission in mind, and this term will be completed when the season ends. Some have suggested, however, that the comments are simply a tactic for negotiating a new contract and given his popularity with the fans and success at the club he is likely to get his way ultimately.

After further prompting for journalists he said:

“That’s when my contract expires. My mindset when I came was that I signed a three-year contract and if I leave here in six or seven months, hopefully with the club well established in the Premier League, we’ll all be happy.”

Keane also commented on the need to reduce the size of the squad:

“The amount of transactions I’ve been involved in is over 100 and that’s a lot…That’s it now and that’s why there won’t be anything happening in January.”

“I don’t feel under pressure from the board, these are my own decisions, but my major wheeling and dealing is over for the next year or so. We have to move players on because we have far too many on our books. There are internationals sitting around not getting a chance, not even in the reserves, and I take responsibility, I tried too much, too soon.”

Source:goal