Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn insists there is no rush for Roy Keane to agree a new contract. The manager has only a year of his current deal left to run, but both he and his former Republic of Ireland team-mate are relaxed about sitting down and discussing an extension.

Despite reports suggesting Keane was about to sign a new four-year deal, that is yet to happen as the former Manchester United skipper prepares to return for pre-season training on Friday.

But Quinn insists there is a trust between the two men and is confident talks will take place soon.

He told the Sunderland Echo: "It's actually something that Roy and I don't talk about as much as perhaps the media or other people.

"Roy has been away a lot with his coaching course, but the players are back soon and as the whole thing gets going again, I'm sure we will sort that out.

"It is not an issue that has faltered - it has not even got going. But the great thing about Roy Keane and this situation is that there is trust in the air between us.

"There's a year left on his deal and we actually respect contracts at our level."

Keane took over at the Stadium of Light almost two years ago after Quinn persuaded him to launch his management career on Wearside.

The Black Cats won promotion from the Coca-Cola Championship as winners at the first attempt and managed to secure their Barclays Premier League status after a long, hard fight last season.

Keane, who completed his UEFA Pro Licence during the close season, is currently working to strengthen his squad for the challenges which lie ahead having insisted he is determined to avoid another battle for survival.

Quinn and his Drumaville consortium have backed the manager's vision to date,
and while they are happy that they are ahead of schedule, they are refusing to get carried away.

He said: "We realised that this journey had five steps.

"As I have said before, step one was to get back into the Premier League. We were allowing Roy plenty of time to do it - we had a three-year plan - but, Roy being Roy, did it in one year.

"Step two was to consolidate our place in the Premier League, to take a deep breath and to build. We have done that.

"Step three, now, is to give our fans a year free of relegation worry - not in the bottom five all year. It would be another form of consolidation.

"After that, breaking into the top half of the league is the aim.

"I don't like talking too much about steps four and five, but it's competing with the big boys.

"We don't dream here, we aim, and there's no point in aiming too high, too early. We have got to build more solidly."