The Sunderland striker Kenwyne Jones has ended speculation he may be on the move to Tottenham by signing a new long-term contact at the Stadium of Light. Jones's future has been the subject of prickly debate over the last few days with the Black Cats boss Ricky Sbragia accusing Spurs of trying to unsettle his frontman in a bid to to lure him to White Hart Lane. Spurs boss Harry Redknapp accused Sunderland of the same tactic with regards to his own striker Darren Bent.
However, Sbragia confirmed today that the Trinidad & Tobago striker has inked a new four-and-a-half year deal to keep the former Southampton striker on Wearside until 2013. "I'm absolutely delighted that Kenwyne has committed to the club for the long term," Sbragia told Sunderland's official website. "He's young with a great future ahead of him and has already proven himself to be a key player for us. "The fact that we've had interest from top clubs shows how much of an asset he is, and it's fantastic that he will be a Sunderland player for many years to come."
The news will come as a blow to Redknapp who was hoping to make it a double raid on Sunderland after re-signing the French full-back Pascal Chimbonda yesterday. It is well-known Redknapp favours a 'little and large' strike partnership and saw Jones as the perfect foil for diminutive forward Jermain Defoe, who joined from Portsmouth earlier this month. The other strikers at the club ? Roman Pavlyuchenko, Bent or Frazier Campbell ? do not suit that role. sluckings@thenational.ae *With AP
