The Northern Ireland international striker did not make much of an impression with the Barclays Premier League side last season.

Previous manager Roy Keane signed him from Fulham in August 2008 but the striker found match-time limited before and after the Irishman's departure and scored just three goals for the club in all competitions.

Healy is the all-time leading goal-scorer for Northern Ireland with 35 goals but he has struggled to reproduce his international form at club level.

new manager

However, the arrival of Steve Bruce has given the 29-year-old hope for the future, after last season's 16th-placed finish.

He said: "He's an inspirational manager who hopefully can get the best out of the players we have. We don't want another season like last season. Hopefully we've got enough to challenge for a top-10 place maybe.

"I've got a couple of years left on my contract and I feel as if I haven't done myself justice when given limited opportunities, although I still feel I gave something to the cause.

"But hopefully next year with a new manager and a new set of players I can have a little bit of a lift and get off to a good start next season."

Healy began his career with Manchester United but made just one Premier League appearance as a substitute before being sold to Preston North End in 2001.

He scored 34 goals in 104 league appearances for them and had two loan spells at Norwich City before moving to Leeds United and then Fulham before switching to Sunderland in August 2008.