AHEAD of what promises to be a busy summer in the transfer market for Sunderland manager Roy Keane, Danny Higginbotham has revealed his determination to fight for his place in the Black Cats team.

Having secured their Premier League status with last Saturday's 3- 2 win over Middlesbrough, Keane is now preparing to take the club to the next level and challenge for a tophalf finish next season.

Keane knows that to achieve his next objective at the Stadium of Light he will need sufficient funds to do so.

And providing he does receive the backing of the Sunderland board, then few places will be guaranteed in the Irishman's starting XI next season.

But that is not something that worries Higginbotham, who has no intention of giving up his place in the side that easily.

He said: "I know there's going to speculation about players coming in and out during the summer but I'm not really interested in it at all.

"It's one of those things - the club makes decisions and they're going to be signing players and letting some players go. That's just the way that football works.

"People are speculating about things all the time, but I don't really tend to get too involved with all that type of thing. I'd rather just wait until someone has actually arrived and then take it from there."

But Higginbotham also accepts that for newcomers like Sunderland to survive in the top flight, then firstteam football may not always be guaranteed.

The defender believes Keane's clever use of the squad has been the main reason behind Sunderland's success this season.

"I think this season has proved that you need a squad if you're going to survive in the Premier League,"

said Higginbotham. "Whenever players have had to come in to the first team, they've come in and done a really good job.

"That's what it's all about now. It's a squad game and you know that, in football, you're always going to get opportunities. It's whether or not you take those opportunities that counts.

"There are going to be times when there are injuries and suspensions, and you have to be ready to come in and make an impact. I think a lot of our players have been really good at that this season. It's a squad, and everybody within that squad has played their part."

Another player who is adamant that his future remains on Wearside is winger Ross Wallace.

The 22-year-old was one of six players transfer-listed by Keane in January. Worse was to follow for the Scot when he suffered a serious knee injury shortly after being made available for transfer.

But after regaining full fitness the former Celtic attacker hopes he can follow Liam Miller's lead and prove to Keane that he is worth another chance.

He said: It was probably the worst week of my career - transfer-listed and then picking up a serious injury.

But I am fit now and I hope I get a second chance because I want to stay here.'' Meanwhile, Sunderland defender Jonny Evans could return to action for Saturday's Barclays Premier League trip to Bolton.

The 20-year-old Northern Ireland international missed both the 2-0 defeat at Newcastle and the 3-2 win over Middlesbrough with a hamstring injury.