PETER REID has warned striking talisman Kevin Phillips that the arrivals of Tore Andre Flo and Marcus Stewart mean he is no longer guaranteed a place in Sunderland's starting line-up.

Phillips is set to form a new partnership with club record signing Flo at the Stadium of Light this afternoon for the visit of Manchester United.

But England international Phillips will have Stewart breathing down his neck after Reid's protracted search for fresh firepower finally bore fruit yesterday with a double deal worth £10m, little more than 24 hours before the new transfer window closes.

Both Flo and Stewart have signed three-year deals and Reid is convinced the joint outlay represents "bargain'' business.

Sunderland refused to confirm the split in the overall fee, but Rangers insisted they would receive £6.75m for Flo, with sources in Glasgow claiming the deal will rise to almost £9m based on two further instalments of £1m.

Whatever the breakdown of the fee, Reid is a relieved man after recently admitting his hunt for forwards had been driving him "bonkers''.

The Sunderland manager said: "The stats showed we didn't get enough goals last season. Kevin Phillips had a lot of responsibility to get goals and I think these signings add competition.

"Don't forget we still have Niall Quinn and Kevin Kyle, so there are five strikers and Matt Piper can play up there as well.

"No-one has a right to a place. Tore and Marcus weren't going to come here if they were going to be sat on the bench.

"Kevin Phillips won't be happy sat on the bench, neither will Niall Quinn nor Kevin Kyle, but some of them will be unless they play well.''

Reid added: "I think we've got a bargain in Tore and Marcus.

"It's very pleasing after searching for a long time to get two quality players and I'm delighted because we already have quality here.

"I think they are two great acquisitions and I think they'll do well. They can both score and create goals.

"They were desperate to come here. I didn't know about Marcus's availability until four or five days ago.

"I saw him play at Bristol Rovers and Huddersfield and he had great success at Ipswich.

"With Tore, my interest goes back a long time. Joe Royle is a big pal of mine, and when he was at Everton he tried to get him.

"Tore is a player I have always admired and Joe was straight on the phone when he heard we were trying to do a deal and said what a good player Tore was.''

Reid, who was confronted by angry fans during the club's pre-season tour of Belgium, used the unveiling of Flo and Stewart as a platform to answer his critics and dispel the popular belief that he is reluctant to splash out in the transfer market.

The Black Cats' boss has spent just over £15m this summer in bringing in seven players: Flo and Stewart; Matt Piper (£3.5m from Leicester); Stephen Wright (£1.5m from Liverpool); Phil Babb (free from Sporting Lisbon); Thomas Myhre (free from Besiktas); and Sean Thornton (£225,000 from Tranmere).

And with the signings last season of Jason McAteer (£1m), Claudio Reyna (£4.5m) and Joachim Bjorklund (£1.5m), Reid has now shelled out over £22m in ten months.

"It's not bad for a manager who doesn't spend money,'' quipped Reid. "I've bought a few players and I think I've bought good value. In some quarters, that's a crime, which I don't understand.

"Going back to when I bought Kevin Phillips, people asked questions about that one. They weren't happy because I'd only paid about half a million.

"If I'd paid £10m for him, everyone would have been happy.''

Reid, meanwhile, can see trouble ahead with the transfer window and fears it could meet with a challenge similar to the one that brought about the Bosman ruling on freedom of contract.

He said: "Without getting political, I think some young player somewhere who is out of work is going to go to a court of law, challenge it, and win.

"How can you deny someone the chance to move? It's a basic human right."

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