STEPHEN CRAINEY'S proposed move to Sunderland has broken down but manager Mick McCarthy has revealed summer recruit Liam Lawrence will be fit for the start of the season.

The good and bad news for the Black Cats came on the same day that McCarthy admitted he is continuing his search for a striker, with Portsmouth's Mark Burchill, and Wolves' Nathan Blake the latest to have caught the eye.

But, regardless of whether there is a new forward at the club for the trip to Coventry on August 7, Crainey no longer looks as though he will be on board.

The 23-year-old, who has only made four appearances for Southampton since moving from Celtic in January, was on the verge of completing a loan switch to Sunderland last week.

However, Crainey is understood to be only interested in a permanent switch if he is going to leave St Mary's, where manager Paul Sturrock inherited the player from the Gordon Strachan regime.

McCarthy said: "It was no secret that I wanted to sign him. But he wants to prove himself at Southampton. I would still be keen to take him if the chance arises."

But Sunderland have received a massive boost on the injury front after learning that attacking midfielder Lawrence's ankle ligament damage is not as bad as first feared.

The 23-year-old, signed from Mansfield this summer, was expected to be unavailable for the trip to Peter Reid's City a week on Saturday after picking up the problem in training.

But McCarthy could call him back into action as early as this Sunday's trip to Doncaster. The manager said last night: "Liam has been training fully. When we carried him off we knew he had done his ligaments.

"But he has made a miraculous recovery and I'm delighted. Other players might have taken a lot longer. But these players we have brought in are young, determined and want to do well."

After losing out to Leicester in the race for striker David Connolly, McCarthy has been reassessing his options in the transfer market.

And, with Kevin Kyle still struggling with a hip injury, Sunderland only have Marcus Stewart and Stephen Elliott pushing for starting roles at Highfield Road.

Teenagers Neil Teggart and Chris Brown will both be considered but McCarthy is desperate to add a new front-man to his squad within the next week.

"We are looking at a number of people," said McCarthy, who has left the number 11 shirt free in preparation for a new arrival.

Mart Poom and Elliott return to his side for tonight's trip to Scunthorpe, while McCarthy is hopeful Kyle's injury is not serious and he will return to action quickly.

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