Quinn not eager to sell Jones

(GSM) – Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn says Sunderland are not eager to sell star striker Kenwyne Jones. Quinn also confirmed that the club made an official approach for Schalke striker Kevin Kuranyi.

Jones has been linked a move away from the Stadium of Light with Liverpool and Stoke City reportedly interested in signing the Trinidad & Tobago striker.

However, Black Cats chairman Quinn believes Jones is important to the club and is not keen to see him leave the club.

Quinn told Goals on Sunday, “Kenwyne Jones knows exactly what I think of him. I love him as a footballer. He’s got the complete package.

“If things work out for him in the second half of the season, he’s vital to us. Behind the scenes agents may be setting up things with football clubs, but it happens today.

“We don’t want to get rid of anybody at the football club.”

Sunderland have also tried to sign Kuranyi from Schalke. However, the Germany forward opted to stay with the Bundesliga outfit until the end of the season.

“If there’s someone we can sign to help [we will],” added Quinn. “Look, it’s been well-publicised. I think Steve [Bruce] has mentioned it.

“We did look at Kuranyi and spoke to his club Schalke. The idea for us was that it would make it even better at our club.

“We could have Jones, Kuranyi and Darren [Bent] who is phenomenal.”

Schalke coach Felix Magath has confirmed that the club accepted an offer for Kuranyi, who has also been linked with Birmingham City, only for the 27-year-old to reject the move.

Magath said: “I had already reached an agreement with a club who wanted to buy him, but Kevin said that he did not want to leave.

“Selling him was only an issue because of financial reasons.

“On the sporting side, I am not unhappy that he is staying because we can still do with him.”