Jack Ross opens up on why he took Sunderland job as Cats linked with £3m Hibernian midfielder

It comes as Sunderland have been linked with a summer swoop for Hibernian midfielder John McGinn, 23.

The Scottish Sun report Hibernian have put an asking price of £3million on the Scotland international, who has just one year left on his current contract at Easter Road.

McGinn started his career at Ross' old club St Mirren and they would be due 33 per cent of any sale.

Sunderland fought off competition to land Ross from Championship side Ipswich Town, while other clubs in England and Scotland have been credited with an interest in the highly-rated 41-year-old.

But Ross has explained why Sunderland - and Stewart Donald’s vision for the club - was simply too good to turn down.

The former Hartlepool United defender is tasked with leading the club back to the Championship at the first time of asking and has a big rebuilding job on his hands this summer, with a huge squad overhaul needed.

Speaking about why he wanted to manage Sunderland, Ross said: "It’s alright having potential, but you have to find a way of exploiting it and maximising it, and that’s part of the reason why I’m so excited to take the job.

"Over the past year and a half I’ve had opportunities to move to other clubs, but this one was so fantastically timed for me because of the opportunity to rebuild and regain that momentum.

"I back myself to do it, and I’m excited for the challenge.

"I loved the job I was doing and I was very happy in it because we’d had good success and we were looking forward to the challenge of next season, but when Sunderland are mentioned - even before you know any details – you’re attracted to the potential and the size of the club.

"But the timing of it, with Stewart’s new ownership and the way he’s described his plans for the club, as well as his eagerness for me to be involved in all of that, was appealing for me and they are all huge factors.

"I feel I’ve always been fairly pragmatic about the choices I’ve made career-wise, and for me this a really good fit.

"Time will be the proof in that, but I’m very confident," he told the club website.