SUNDERLAND face one of the most potent strikeforces around this afternoon, but manager Roy Keane insists he would not swap Kenwyne Jones for anyone else in the Premier League.

Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool, among others, have all checked out the Black Cats' £6m summer signing this season and Keane last night claimed the player's valuation has soared to an incredible £40m.

Jones only has five goals from 18 appearances since moving to Wearside from Southampton. That ratio, however, does not do the youthful Trinidad & Tobago international justice.

Despite carrying a knee problem, and other knocks, over the last few weeks which have prevented him from training on numerous occasions, the 23-year-old has still impressed with his performances.

And with Sunderland due to face Dimitar Berbatov, Robbie Keane, Jermain Defoe and Darren Bent at Tottenham today, Keane has used the occasion to highlight the glowing admiration he has for his own leading striker.

"Kenwyne has been remarkable and without enormous service, anything he is creating is done himself," said Keane. "The big plus is his attitude, he is a real team player. I have said before, there is no doubt in my mind that we have the best striker in the Premier League at the moment.

"If certain strikers are worth £20m then Kenwyne is worth £40m. I wouldn't swap any of them, including Berbatov and Keane. Those two players have had games in the Premier League and Kenwyne is playing like he has been around for years, when it's his first taste of football at this level.

"On merit Tottenham have the best four strikers in the league, United might argue with that, but they are getting more service than Kenwyne is. He has scored vital goals, claimed vital assists and his general hold up play has been fantastic. Imagine if we were getting really good service to him?"

Given how Jones has already played for two clubs this season, he would not be able to represent another before the end of the campaign under FIFA rules, so a switch at this stage would be nonsensical.

But his progress in the last five months has not gone unnoticed and there is likely to be firm interest lodged in him during the summer, particularly if Sunderland are to relinquish Premier League status.

But Keane is determined to hold on to his man. "I know the big clubs are looking at him, otherwise they wouldn't be doing their jobs properly," he said.

"I believe we can fulfil his ambitions here and he has signed a long contract. There were 37,000 fans here last week against Portsmouth and we were in the bottom three. He has got to plug into where we want to go to. We can't stop people looking at him and he has to accept that, good players do."

After last week's win over Portsmouth, in which Jones created one without scoring, Harry Redknapp claimed the forward lacked the right attitude to make it at the highest level after handling him during his time at Southampton.

But Keane, once introduced to Jones when he arrived from Trinidad for a trial at Manchester United, said: "He was younger then. It happens that you question whether they want it enough at that age. He has had one or two reminders about what we want but a few have had that. He has not had a reminder for a while, he has learnt. That's a good sign."

Jones' availability has been a crucial factor in Sunderland's success in staying in touch with a large group above them who are hovering just above the relegation zone.

And if he was to take time out to make a full recovery from the niggles he is suffering from, it would be a further blow to Keane on the injury front.

He confirmed yesterday that Ross Wallace - just a week after revealing he would listen to offers for the young Scot - will be out for the rest of the season with knee ligament damage suffered on the training ground.

Danny Higginbotham will be out for up to six weeks with a broken toe and Grant Leadbitter will be missing until February with a similar problem.

And with an offer for David Connolly on the table from QPR, there is a feeling that Keane needs to act quickly to strengthen his squad, something he disagrees with.

"I'm not panicking," said Keane, whose side head to White Hart Lane today looking to claim their first win on their travels this season.

"Over the last few years the club have been criticised for not going to the next level to sign players and I have to try to change that.

"But there's not many top players out there who are available."

Keane, meanwhile, claimed he was in no rush to tie Quinton Fortune down to a contract at the Stadium of Light.

Keane is reluctant to do a deal until the 31-year-old has figured in a reserves game.

He said: "He is physically fit, we need to see what he is like in a match environment."