Roy Keane, the Sunderland manager, endured a mixed weekend, holding transfer talks with Steed Malbranque, Pascal Chimbonda, Younès Kaboul and Teemu Tainio on Saturday before being sent to the stands in last night’s 3-1 friendly victory over Sporting Lisbon.

The possibility of Sunderland completing a remarkable £23 million combined deal for the four Tottenham Hotspur players remains intact after Keane delayed his departure to Portugal for his side’s preseason tour in order to speak to the quartet. Chimbonda, the full back, spoke highly of Keane after their meeting. “I was extremely impressed by what he had to say,” he said. “His honesty and openness really were fantastic.”

The drama continued when Keane finally arrived in the Algarve. Not for the first time, the Irishman incurred the wrath of a referee when he expressed his disapproval at Michael Chopra’s second-half dismissal. Sunderland won courtesy of goals from Roy O’Donovan, Nyron Nosworthy and Anthony Stokes.