SUNDERLAND are looking better this season and are set to get some interesting results in the process. Why not? The Black Cats have been doing some shopping in the summer to strengthen every department in their bid to make a better impact this time around after finishing a lowly 16th last season.

BENT: Sunderland's record signing from Tottenham

They signed Darren Bent from Tottenham for a club record of £10 million (RM58.4m) to beef up the strikeforce. Manager Steve Bruce is delighted that he managed to get Bent. Bent, frustrated at being always left on the bench at White Hart Lane, is eager to prove a point or two to Spurs manager Harry Redknapp who famously claimed his wife Sandra would have scored the close range header the hitman managed to put wide off the target in the 1-1 draw against Portsmouth last season.

Bent is all fired up as he is going to be a regular under Bruce. If given the right type of support, he can be one of the main men for Black Cats this season. Sunderland have also signed zestful and talented former Manchester United striker Frazier Campbell, who was on loan with Spurs last season.

His presence will give an option to Bruce another attacking option. Campbell played several matches with Spurs and he should be more prepared this season to show what he is capable of. Already in the squad is established striker Kenwyne Jones who enjoyed a fine outing last season with 10 goals in the league to attract several clubs to bid for his signature in the summer and this included Spurs.

But the Trinidad and Tobago international is not interested in leaving Stadium of Light. The new £5 miliion signing in midfield, is 26-year-old Albania international Lorik Cana from Marseille. Bruce likes what he sees in Cana, who was also the Marseille captain. Besides his qualities, Bruce believes Cana’s experience in both Ligue 1 and on the international stage will be asset to the team.

Cana will add more bite to the midfield which is already formidable with some talented and experienced players. There are already four established players in this department, besides Cana. They are Kieran Richardson, Steed Malbranque, Andy Reid and Teemu Tainio.

Incidentally, Malbranque, Reid and Tainio used to play for Spurs. Frenchman Malbranque, on his day, is handy in attack and he can create problems for the best of defences moving along the flanks or through the centre. This is also the case for Reid, while Tainio is more of a defensive midfielder.

The Black Cats have also signed Paraguay international captain and defender Paulo Da Silva from Mexican club Toluca. His presence will surely make the defence tighter and more solid.

Da Silva, 29, has 61 caps for Paraguay and had the much needed experience to beef up what has been an average Sunderland defence. He is also commanding and has leadership qualities. He is expected to partner Anton Ferdinand at the heart of the defence. Sunderland have two quality goalkeepers in the squad — Hungary international Martin Fulop and Scotland international Craig Gordon. Manager Bruce does not have much problems here unless both of them are injured at the same time.

Home: Stadium of Light
Capacity: 49,000
Founded: 1879
Club Nickname: The Black Cats, The Mackems
Manager: Steve Bruce

RECORDS
Division One champions: 1891-1892, 1892-1893, 1894-1895, 1901-1902, 1912-1913, 1935-1936,
Runners-up: 1893-1894, 1897-1898, 1900-1901, 1922-1923, 1934-1935
Championship champions: 1995-1996, 1998-1999, 2004-2005, 2006-2007
Division Two champions: 1975-1976
Runners-up: 1963-1964, 1979-1980, 1989-1990
Division Three champions: 1997-1988
FA Cup champions: 1937, 1973
Runners-up: 1913, 1992
League Cup runners-up: 1985

THE SQUAD
Goalkeepers:
Marton Fulop, Craig Gordon, Trevor Carson
Defenders:
Phillip Bardsley, Danny Collins, Anton Ferdinand, Paul McShane, George McCartney, Nyron Nosworthy, Jean-Yves
Mvoto, Michael Kay, Michael Liddle, Russell Anderson
Midfielders:
Kieran Richardson, Grant Leadbitter, Steed Malbranque, Andy Reid, Dean Whitehead, Teemu Tainio, Carlos Edwards, David Meyler, Jordan Henderson, Jack Colback, Nathan Luscombe
Strikers:
Kenwyne Jones, Daryl Murphy, David Healy, Anthony Stokes, Roy O'Donovan, Martyn Waghorn, David Dowson

TRANSFERS (LATEST)
IN:
Darren Bent — From
Tottenham (£10m)
Lorik Cana — From
Marseille (£5.4m)
Paulo Da Silva — From
Deportivo Toluca (Free),
Fraizer Campbell — From
Man United (£3.5m)
OUT:
Dean Whitehead — To
Stoke (£3m)
Michael Chopra — To
Cardiff (£4m),
Greg Halford — To
Wolves (£2m)
Nick Colgan — To
Grimsby (free)
Dwight Yorke —
(Released)
David Connolly —
(Released)
Arnau Riera — (Released)
Darren Ward — (Retired)
Last season placing: 16th

Prediction: At least 12th
Odds for title: 1500/1