Manchester City Flop Jack Rodwell Completes £10m Move Sunderland

Sunderland have won the race to sign Manchester City flop Jack Rodwell after beating off competition from the midfielder's former club Everton.

Rodwell underwent a medical at the Wearside club's training ground on Monday and today signed a five-year deal with the Stadium of Light club.

A statement on Sunderland's official website announced "Sunderland have completed the signing of midfielder Jack Rodwell from Barclays Premier League champions Manchester City.

"The highly sought-after 23-year-old has penned a five-year deal on Wearside and joins for an undisclosed fee."

The transfer is a coup for manager Gus Poyet, who fought off reported interest from the 23-year-old's former club Everton to land him and brought to an end a disastrous spell for Rodwell at City after he was signed by Roberto Mancini in 2012 for £12m.

He played just 16 league games in two seasons for the Etihad Stadium club after he was hampered by a hamstring injury and stiff competition for places from the likes of James Milner and Yaya Toure and later Javi Garcia and Fernandinho.

Rodwell joins English duo Joleon Lescott and Gareth Barry out of the exit door at City after the defender and centre midfielder joined West Brom and Everton respectively.

The loss of another Englishman could had been problematic for Manuel Pellegrini as City look to adhere to Uefa's Financial Fair Play rules, which state the Premier League champions must have at least five home-grown players in their 21-man Champions League squad this season.

However, the loan signing of Frank Lampard from affiliate club New York City has mitigated that issue.

Sunderland, meanwhile, had been left weakened in midfield after Jack Colback made a controversial move to Tyneside and Newcastle United.

The 24-year-old boyhood Magpies fan, who graduated from rivals Sunderland's academy, left the Black Cats on a sour note after reportedly refusing to enter discussions over a new deal.

With Rodwell inching closer to becoming a Sunderland player, Poyet has also been boosted by the continued progress of striker Steven Fletcher.

The 27-year-old former Scotland striker has been backed by his Uruguayan manager to find his goal scoring touch once the new Premier League season kicks off, reported the Newcastle Chronicle.