Sunderland FC

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Quinn amazed at price hikes

05 Jul 2007 - 15:52:47

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Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn has revealed his surprise at the amount of money being quoted for some of their summer transfer targets.

The Black Cats have spent just £4million on defensive duo Greg Halford and Russell Anderson since winning the Championship title last season.

But Quinn is refusing to put the long-term financial security of the club at risk by paying over the odds for new players.

"We are doing it in a quieter way, but we would like to think come the first day of the season, we will have produced and got our main targets in at least," he told the Sunderland Echo.

"There is a point where you have to say 'what is the correct thing to do here?'

"We are able to compete, but there is competing and there's putting the club at risk.

"The transfer market has gone very expensive.

"To me, it seems amazing. Darren Bent was £9million in January and £17million five months later.

"I don't think he did enough in five months to be twice the player.

"That's just the way the market has gone - and it's not the player's problem."