Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn will take as few risks as possible as he tries to give manager Steve Bruce the team he wants.

The two have been working closely behind the scenes in recent weeks to identify transfer targets and sound out possible deals, armed with up to £50million from new owner Ellis Short.

Bruce will get down to work in earnest next week, when he will start the process of assessing the players he already has at his disposal and what he needs to improve the squad.

But amid speculation linking the Black Cats with the likes of Darren Bent, Robbie Keane, Didier Zokora, Tom Huddlestone, Jermaine Pennant, Richard Dunne, Lee Cattermole and Titus Bramble, Quinn is determined not to gamble with Short's money following Roy Keane's £80million spending spree.

Quinn said: "All transfers have a risk to them, but we have got to try to minimise that risk.

"I think we will do that automatically by bringing spirited players in who the crowd will react to and who will put a shift in.

"That's what Sunderland people crave. Those who understand that will thrive here.

"There's some fabulous talent in that dressing room already and if we can harness it with some steely characters, it will give us a chance and that will breed three or four others.

"We just didn't quite have that last year. I'm looking forward to people like Andy Reid becoming men this year.

"I hope it happens, that we bring in a few people that spark the others to up their game and up their responsibility levels and up their opinions of themselves."

For all that Sunderland are expected to make major signings this summer, Quinn has admitted that there will not be wholesale changes.

He is confident the nucleus of the side is there, although the departure of loan signing Djibril Cisse means a striker of proven Premier League quality is a priority.

Indeed, he is expecting big things from some of the men already on the books as they develop their talent.

Quinn told the club's official website: "When Anton Ferdinand matures, he has got the opportunity to become an international footballer for England.

"Kieran Richardson can have a brilliant career if he steps up that maturity level.

"It doesn't happen because you talk to them, it happens because they see it around them.

"There are a couple of others who can go a lot further than they have done, and that's what our task is this year.

"If Andy [Reid] can get back into the Ireland team, if Anton and Kieran get international caps, then nobody will be happier than me.

"They won't be pulled out of the international squads because of injuries or stuff like that - we will be pushing them out of the door to try and drive their careers forward."