The 36-year-old paid out another $22 million last night as he added Southampton striker Kenwyne Jones and Stoke defender Danny Higginbotham, as well as free agent Ian Harte, to his list of captures.

Jones, at $15million, becomes the club's third biggest signing after $27million man Craig Gordon and Tore Andre Flo.

With Kieran Richardson and Michael Chopra both having commanded fees of $12million or above, the Barclays Premier League newcomers have proved one of the country's most prolific spenders.

Keane has repeatedly dismissed suggestions he may have persuaded chairman Niall Quinn and his Drumaville consortium to pay over the odds for some of his acquisitions, and while he admits gelling a team together may take time, he does not feel any pressure to justify his recruitment policy.

He said: "It doesn't feel like we have spent a lot, I have to say, because we have had to buy so many players.

"It would be different if we had bought a couple of players for $25 million, $37 million, $50 million each and they were on $150,000, $175,000, $200,000 a week.

"We have had to buy a lot of players. The whole squad needed an overhaul.

"But I don't feel under pressure on that side. The pressure is always there as a manager to try to be successful, but you have to be comfortable in terms of spending decent money.

"I don't lose any sleep about it, I am happy with the players we have brought into the club.

"There is never a guarantee - that's the beauty of it - there is never any guarantee and player will come in and settle in.

"Some won't, some will take longer than others, it is just trying to gel everyone together.

"But having said that, you are never guaranteed when a player comes to a club anyway.

"You look at the history of some players who have gone to clubs for lots and lots of money and it has not worked out; other clubs have gone for a bargain and they have turned out to be the best deal the club has ever done.

"That's the beauty of football, there are no guarantees with anything."

Higginbotham is relishing the chances to prove himself in the top flight once again after previous attempts with Derby and Southampton.

The former Manchester United trainee was at Old Trafford during Keane's reign as skipper, and jumped at the chance to join him on Wearside in a $7.5million switch.

He said: "I was a young lad when I was there with him and I just looked at him first and foremost as a player, and the way he was, his demeanour and everything, just showed the type of fella and the type of player he was.

"There is no denying the fact that he was one of the best midfielders in the world in his time, and his performances and the way he went about things gained him respect.

"He has taken that into management with him and I am sure he is going to be a huge success."

Jones admitted the death of Sevilla's Antonio Puerto at the weekend and Clive Clarke's collapse on Tuesday night had helped strengthen his resolve to take his chance when it came along.

He said: "Every player's dream is to play in the Premier League and being at my age and seeing the events of players having to retire and, sadly, players dying, you want to take that chance when you get it to play in the Premier League.

"My time came and I wanted to do it."

Clarke was on loan to Leicester from Sunderland when he was taken ill, and Keane revealed the club's relief after it emerged how grave his situation had been.

He said: "Niall is going down to see him tomorrow and I hope to speak to Clive later today.

"Apparently, he is a very, very lucky lad. Obviously there was the incident with the lad from Sevilla over the weekend.

"The medical staff at Leicester have done a fantastic job and we are grateful for that."