Free agent midfielder Yann M'Vila would return to Sunderland to push for Premier League

Former Sunderland man Yann M'Vila says he would return to Sunderland to help the club back to the Premier League.

The 33-year-old one-time Sunderland loanee is currently without a club after leaving Greek outfit Olympiacos at the end of last season but was recently linked with a return to Wearside.

The France international spent a memorable season at the Black Cats, as he helped guide the side to Premier League survival during the 2015-16 campaign.

Recent reports in M'Vila's homeland last summer claimed that the midfielder was the subject of interest from several clubs - including Sunderland - and that the player spoke with owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus. Speaking to Le Progres, the midfielder has stated that he would return to Sunderland.

“I spoke with a lot of Ligue 1 clubs, but I didn’t get the little thing. Given my qualities and my leadership, I think I can help a lot of teams. I believe in myself,” he said. "I don’t need the money. I want to play. With all the respect I have for Ligue 2, I don’t see myself playing in this championship.

There is only one club for which I would have agreed to return to the lower division for, it is Sunderland, to help them return to the Premier League. I had an extraordinary year there. I’m not just a footballer, I can help on and off the pitch, I know the moments of crisis. I am a reliable person. If you trust me, I’ll give it back to you a thousand times.”