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Quinn - Jones is vital to us

Image: Jones: Vital to Black Cats

Niall Quinn says Sunderland are not looking to sell Kenwyne Jones and confirmed talks over Kevin Kuranyi.

Black Cats chairman also confirms interest in Kuranyi

Niall Quinn says Sunderland are not looking to sell Kenwyne Jones and confirmed the club did make an approach for Schalke striker Kevin Kuranyi. Jones has been linked with a January move away from the Stadium of Light, with the likes of Liverpool and Stoke City rumoured to be interested in the Trinidad & Tobago striker. However, Black Cats chairman Quinn believes Jones is vital to the club and is not keen to see the former Southampton striker leave during the transfer window. 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."

Offer accepted

Sunderland also tried to sign Kuranyi from Schalke only for the Germany forward to decide to stay with the Bundesliga club 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."

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