FORMER Middlesbrough favourite Geremi has emerged as a target for Sunderland manager Roy Keane.

Keane is hopeful of following up last week's capture of Greg Halford with at least one other signing this week, and there is believed to have been contact between the Black Cats and the Cameroon international.

Geremi has been told he can leave Chelsea on a free, despite the Blues paying Real Madrid £7m four years ago.

He has largely been utilised as a squad player by Jose Mourinho, but his versatility has proved useful.

Keane has considered Geremi because the 28-year-old can play in both positions down the right, as well as in central midfield.

His experience at the highest level is also a factor, given that next season will be his sixth in the Premiership. He also spent four years with Real Madrid and played Champions League football regularly.

Sunderland are looking to bring in players capable of coping immediately with the rigours of the top-flight, although Keane wants to compliment those with a couple of younger faces.

Middlesbrough, where he was on loan in 2002/03, have also been credited with an interest in Geremi, although chief executive Keith Lamb has refuted those claims.

He settled well in the North-East when he spent nine months at the Riverside Stadium and it was only Chelsea's willingness to pay the £7m asking price that prevented him from joining full-time.

If he did move to the Stadium of Light, one of the positions he would be competing to play in would be right-back - the same position in which Sunderland's only other summer signing plays.

Halford, a £3m capture from Reading that can also play on the wing, signed a week ago but it has hardly captured supporters' imaginations.

However, chairman Niall Quinn, also thought to have agreed a deal with Preston for striker David Nugent, feels Halford will prove he can become a household Premiership name.

The 22-year-old only managed three appearances in the top-flight for Reading after his January move to the Madejski Stadium from Colchester United.

And Royals boss Steve Coppell was more than happy to make a £500,000 profit on the former England Under-20 international, just six months into his career at Reading.

But Quinn, recalling Halford's performance for Colchester in Sunderland's 3-1 win on Wearside last November, thinks Keane has pulled off a cute signing.

"Greg Halford stood out as one of the best players in the Championship last season for me," said Quinn. "I was delighted to get Halford, which seems to have gone by a little unnoticed.

"We felt we were getting close to signing him in January but the lure of the Premiership just took him away from us. He would be one of the three or four players I saw last season who I thought were definitely better than Championship standard.

"He played extremely well against us at the Stadium of Light, even though Colchester lost. We had three players marking him at one stage even though he was meant to be playing full-back away from home."

Middlesbrough, meanwhile, may have already lined up deals for two new strikers - Tuncay Sanli and Jeremie Aliadiere - but they continue to monitor other forwards as possible targets.

Boro are aware Ayegbeni Yakubu could be on his way from the Riverside this summer if a suitable offer is made so are preparing for a scenario should the Nigerian depart.

West Ham striker Bobby Zamora and Manchester United's Alan Smith, also wanted by Sunderland, are among two being considered as replacements in the Boro attack.