DANISH international goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen last night killed off transfer speculation by pledging his future to Sunderland.

"I can see great things coming and I want to be part of that," he said after a penultimate training session before tomorrow's tough away game against Leeds United, where the Wearsiders will be trying to end a sorry run of three consecutive Premiership defeats.

Sunderland fans were shocked last week when they read that Sorensen wanted to join a bigger, more successful club this summer.

But the 25-year-old keeper insisted: "Things have been written which are not true.

"I have two years of a four-year contract remaining and I definitely want to honour that contract. I have said all along that I am very happy here."

Sorensen expressed his gratitude to Sunderland manager Peter Reid for buying him from Odense for £500,000 and giving him his big chance in English football.

He said: "I feel grateful to Peter Reid for taking a chance with me - I was fairly unknown, especially over here, and it was coming into a pressure season.

"We had to go up after losing the play-off final - the pressure was on and then to suddenly gamble with a new keeper, a young unproven one as well, took some doing.

"I'm just glad I was given the chance to prove I was good enough. I've said all along that Sunderland have been fantastic over the years I have been here and I owe so much to the club. I'm just pleased to be here."

Sorensen, however, admits his disappointment that Sunderland have failed to push for European qualification this season, being involved instead in a battle for Premiership survival.

He said: "I don't think that's been a secret to anyone - we wanted to be in a European place and now we are fighting against relegation.

"That's an experience you don't want to face every season and I am sure Sunderland won't face that next season.

"We will have learnt and next year we will be back in the top half of the table."

Sorensen believes that it will be a realistic target to go for a place in Europe next season and firmly believes that the current squad is strong enough to achieve that goal.

He admitted: "It is difficult for us to break into the top four or five positions. They are really big clubs spending really big money. But I do think we have a great chance of getting into Europe.

"When you look at the team I think we have a lot of good players, but this season we just haven't gelled as well as we have done in previous years. We have to find a way to do that next season, and the end of this season as well.

"That's what we will be working towards next year."

Sorensen has been more than happy with his own progress, taking over from the legendary Peter Schmeichel in the Danish team which is bound for the World Cup Finals in Japan and South Korea.

He said: "I think I have improved. I believe it is important as a keeper that you are consistent and play well every week.

"You don't have to be outstanding every week because you just can't be, but you have to try to be steady all the way through.

"I have been happy with my form this season and I am looking forward to playing in the World Cup.

"I think the players we have got are really good, but this year we have not been as good as a team as we were last year. That's what we have to look at."

Sorensen believes that defensively the team has not done too badly, but there has been a deficiency in scoring goals.

He said: "We have to find a way to create more chances and score more goals and I'm sure we will do that with strikers like Kevin Phillips, Niall Quinn and Patrick Mboma, who are great players."

Sorensen appreciates, however, that Sunderland face a serious test at Elland Road, where they have lost their previous three Premiership matches.

The home win over Leicester, however, has given the Wearsiders a boost and he feels that they are good enough to come away with at least a point.

He said: "We have been having a difficult time, but the win over Leicester was important and realistically another three points should make us safe.

"But we have to get the points ourselves and not rely on other teams and I'm sure we will.

"Leeds need the points, too, so it's going to be tough. But a win at Elland Road would be nice and it's a game I'm looking forward to.

"I still think we can get a lot better and we need to be scoring more goals. We need to do that at Leeds - we won't get many chances but if we can get a goal it might unsettle them and give us confidence."

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