Sunderland transfer news: Sam Allardyce keen to land Yann M’Vila on a permanent deal

Sunderland are hopeful of landing Yann M'Vila on a permanent deal, according to reports in France.

The defensive midfielder spent the whole of last season on loan at the Stadium of Light from Russian Premier League side Rubin Kazan and featured in all but one of the club's Premier League games.

Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce is eager to snap up the Frenchman on a permanent deal before the start of the season, while the player has also informed Kazan he has no intention of staying there beyond pre-season.

According to L'Equipe, Sunderland are drawing up a contract offer for the 25-year-old at the moment and aim to complete a deal before the first game of the new season.

M'Vila is due to head back to Kazan for pre-season next week and will try and persuade the club's owners to sell him to the Black Cats.          

Sunderland could wait until 2017 when M'Vila's contract in Russia expires, but Allardyce wants to keep the core of last season's squad together and sees the midfielder as a key part of his future plans.