Ex-Newcastle United and Rangers boss takes aim at Sunderland's recruitment and backs Alex Neil

The Scot deserted the Black Cats for the Potters before the Wearsiders game against Norwich City in the Championship at the Stadium of Light.

The 41-year-old lead Sunderland out of League One and into the second tier via the play-offs last season. However, ex-Newcastle United and Rangers manager Souness believes he has made the right decision.

"It is a strange one," Souness told talkSPORT. "He'd got Sunderland going in the right direction and he's taken over a club who were at the bottom.

"I think this stat tells you everything you need to know about Alex Neil's decision. They've signed 23 players, Sunderland, since the new people have taken over the football club. Four of the 23 were over 25 and they didn't pay any money for them.

"The rest were all under 25. They're looking for nirvana, I think. They've taken a football club and they're saying we're going to buy young, promising players, develop them, sell some of them and then progress as a football club both on the park and financially. That's nirvana. That would be very, very hard to achieve.

"I think going to Stoke and the owners they have - yes, I'm sure it's important to him that he's going to double his own salary - importantly, they will support him in the transfer window by not buying young players.

"I think he has gone to a club who will support him in the transfer market and he's not developing players for the next manager, which he was being asked to do at Sunderland."