Healy struggled to hold down a first-team place at Fulham

Sunderland have bolstered their forward options after signing Fulham's Northern Ireland striker David Healy.

Healy, 29, joins for an undisclosed fee on the same day as Sunderland signed Marseille forward Djibril Cisse.

"David will be a good signing for us," said Sunderland boss Roy Keane. "He has lots of experience at the top level."

Healy, who joined Fulham from Leeds in July 2007 for �1.5m, has signed a three-year deal and is Sunderland's eighth signing of the summer.

"I know Roy Keane from my Manchester United days and it is a privilege to join him at Sunderland," said Healy.

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"I cannot wait to get going. It is an exciting move for me."

Healy started his career at Manchester United before joining Preston in 2001. He moved to Leeds in 2004 and has also had loan spells at Port Vale and Norwich.

The Northern Ireland international has scored 34 goals in 64 games for his country.

Sunderland have also been linked with moves for West Ham's Anton Ferdinand and Blackburn's Benni McCarthy and Keane could still add to his squad before the transfer window closes on 1 September.

Keane has had a busy summer in the transfer market, signing experienced Premier League players such as Pascal Chimbonda, Teemu Tainio, El-Hadji Diouf and Steed Malbranque.