Forlan not Keane on Black Cats move
by Tom Kell, 23 March 2008
Roy Keane is likely to have to cross Diego Forlan off his summer shopping list after the Uruguayan revealed he had snubbed a move to Sunderland before, and hinted he would do so again.
Forlan hardly set the world alight during his time at Manchester United but clearly left a lasting impression on his skipper at Old Trafford at the time, with Keane this week admitting that if The Black Cats do avoid relegation, he could rekindle his interest in the Atletico Madrid striker.
Keane was not afraid to set his sights high during last year’s summer transfer window and did make tentative inquiries into Forlan’s availability before his former United team-mate swapped Villarreal for the Spanish capital.
However, Forlan was not to be lured to the North East for a season scrapping at the bottom of the table and, with Atletico flying high in La Liga, he looks set to resist any future overtures from The Stadium of Light.
“The idea to leave Atletico Madrid doesn’t even enter my head, even more so now that we are close to qualifying for the next Champions League,” he said.
“I am a friend of Roy Keane’s from my time at Manchester United, and he tried to convince me to go to Sunderland when I was with Villarreal. But I do not know anything.
“I’ve signed a contract with Atletico unitl 2011, and any decision depends on my club. I am happy here and things are going well.”