Sunderland planning shock bid for Robbie Keane

Sunderland are planning a shock £15million bid to tempt Robbie Keane to leave Spurs for the second time in a year.

The North East club already have Darren Bent on their wish-list and negotiations on a £10m deal are well advanced.

But Sunderland are also ready to test Tottenham with a stunning move for the much-travelled Keane who only returned to Tottenham on the last deadline day in a £12m deal after a disastrous six months at Liverpool.

But with Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp preparing a major overhaul of his squad, the Black Cats believe they may be able to prize the nomadic Keane away.

Keane, 28, is close to Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn after the pair played together for the Republic of Ireland. The striker left White Hart Lane for Anfield for £20.3m last July but struggled to win over manager Rafa Benitez and was shipped back to Spurs in January.

The Black Cats would be his seventh club with Sunderland's wealthy owner Ellis Short giving new boss Steve Bruce big money to spend on players this summer.

Keane is a huge favourite among the Tottenham faithful and Redknapp also made him club captain after his return to the club six months ago.

England striker Bent, 25, who joined Spurs for £16.5m two years ago, will be allowed to leave and Sunderland are in pole position to get their man.

Russian centre-forward Roman Pavlyuchenko is another big signing who Spurs will sell despite only arriving last summer for £12m.

The sales will help raise cash for Redknapp who has a long list of striker targets to strengthen his squad.

Tottenham tried to sign Sunderland striker Kenwyne Jones in January but had a £10m bid knocked back. But now the boot is on the other foot and the Wearside club's new-found wealth is likely to make them one of this summer's big spenders.

Sunderland have the wealth and ambition to try and keep Jones happy and they are setting their own sights high.

Tottenham, meanwhile, must sell before they can buy this summer as chairman Daniel Levy wants to balance the books.

They are keen on Blackburn's Roque Santa Cruz and Real Madrid strikers Klaas Jan Huntelaar and Ruud van Nistelrooy.

But Dutch veteran van Nistelrooy, 32, has still to prove his fitness after knee surgery and that deal is unlikely to happen.

It means Tottenham will have to spend big to bring in a new striker and that means another clear-out.

David Bentley, Jermaine Jenas, Gareth Bale, Heurelho Gomes and Didier Zokora could all go in a mass exodus to give Redknapp fresh funds for his rebuilding plans.

FREE £25 BET WITH BETFAIR

Get player videos and transfer news round-ups on the Football Spy blog .

Win a luxury holiday to Brazil