HE might have signed 12 players already this summer, but Roy Keane is still hoping to recruit one more midfielder before the transfer window closes at midnight tonight.

And while Sunderland's cumulative summer spending has now topped the £36m mark, the Black Cats boss has denied spending "a lot of money" following last season's promotion to the Premier League.

With skipper Dean Whitehead ruled out for the majority of the season, and Carlos Edwards sidelined for at least another month, Keane is hoping to sign an additional midfielder within the next 24 hours.

He had identified former England international Danny Murphy as his number one target ahead of last weekend's game with Liverpool but, after a £1m fee was agreed with Tottenham, Murphy's wage demands of £20,000-a-week scuppered any chance of a deal.

After missing out on Thomas Gravesen, who last night moved to Everton a one-year loan, Keane is ready to turn his attentions to Pape Bouba Diop, although Fulham may be reluctant to release the 29-year-old less on transfer deadline day.

"The list is getting smaller, but we are looking at one or two others," confirmed the Sunderland manager, who completed the capture of Ian Harte, Danny Higginbotham and Kenwyne Jones on Wednesday.

"It depends on price and wages but, at this stage, I'd be surprised if there was more than one more player coming in."

Only Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham have spent more money than the Black Cats this summer as Keane has set about overhauling the squad that claimed the Championship title last season.

Craig Gordon became Britain's most expensive goalkeeper when he made a £9m move from Hearts, and Jones, Kieran Richardson and Michael Chopra have all commanded fees of £5m or more.

Keane admits that Sunderland have been forced to go for quantity as well as quality in an attempt to add depth to their ranks, but the Irishman denies that he has spent excessively in the last three months.

"It doesn't feel as though we've spent a lot of money because we've had to buy so many players," he explained. "It's not as though we've spent £10m on one player and given them £60,000-a-week.

"We have spent a relatively large amount of money, but it's gone on a lot of players. The whole squad needed an overhaul, and that's what we've tried to do.

"We haven't paid silly money, even though it's better than the average person, but the injuries underlined our need for a bigger squad."

Jones and Higginbotham were the most recent additions, and Keane feels the duo, who could both be involved in tomorrow's daunting trip to Manchester United, will provide a physical edge that was missing in Tuesday night's humiliating Carling Cup defeat at Luton.

"Kenwyne is a type of striker that we haven't got," he said. "He has much more of a physical presence, he's got good pace and he's a really nice kid.

"I know exactly what type of character Danny is - he likes to win and he's been like that ever since he was a kid at United.

"He was always one of Stoke's best performers and I think we've added two really good characters to the dressing room."

While Keane will spend today preparing his side for tomorrow's trip to Old Trafford, chairman Niall Quinn will travel to the Midlands to speak to the recovering Clive Clarke.

Clarke suffered two heart attacks during the half-time interval of Tuesday's Carling Cup tie between his loan employers, Leicester, and Nottingham Forest, a game that he was almost barred from playing in because of the terms of his deal.

"Clive was not supposed to be playing, but I spoke to Leicester and gave them permission," revealed Keane. "It's ironic, but a similar thing happened with Rory Delap last season when I allowed him to play for Stoke against us and he broke his leg in the first minute of the game. Clive is very lucky and we're all thankful he's okay."

Clarke's sudden collapse has sent shockwaves throughout football, with Jones admitting that the experience persuaded him to do all he could in order to complete his move to Sunderland.

The Trinidad & Tobago international was mulling over his future when news of the dramatic scenes at the City Ground began to break and, with Sevilla defender Antonio Peurta having died of a heart attack two days earlier, proof of a footballer's precarious existence persuaded him to seize the opportunity that had come his way.

"When you see players having to retire and players dying, you realise that you have to take your chances when they come," said Jones. "The time came to me and I had to take it.

"What happened to Clive made me sit up and think. As a sportsman, a footballer, you assume you will be healthy for a long time. But things like that happen and it makes you think. You have to take every chance you get.