Sunderland have announced the signing of Yann M’Vila on a season-long loan from Rubin Kazan.

News that the deal had been finalised came via the club’s official Twitter feed, with an accompanying picture of the midfielder with a Sunderland jersey:

In a piece on the club’s official website, the 25-year-old admitted he is looking forward to the challenge of playing in the Premier League:

I’m very happy to be a Sunderland player. I had a very good feeling training with the team; every player welcomed me and the feeling was very good with them so I’m excited for the start of the season.

I’ve also wanted to play in the Barclays Premier League for a long time so I’m very happy to be here.

When M’Vila burst onto the scene at Rennes, he seemed set for stardom. Strong, dynamic and tenacious in the tackle, he was set to man the France midfield for many years to come in the eyes of many. But despite picking up 22 caps for his country, the player’s career hasn’t quite gone according to plan.

As we can see here courtesy of Rhys Turrell of the Daily Star, M’Vila has previously been linked with the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal.

As noted by Sky Sports, M’Vila has not made an appearance for the national team since November 2012, when he indulged in an unauthorised night out during his time with the under-21 team. With that in mind, questions linger about the player’s temperament. He’s been unable to settle in Kazan since leaving Rennes and struggled during a loan spell with Inter Milan last season.

Bleacher Report’s Sam Tighe isn’t wholly convinced by the France international:

But Sunderland could be an ideal club for M’Vila to get his career back on track. The Black Cats do need some reinforcements in the heart of their midfield, and the Frenchman could potentially form a tenacious holding duo alongside Lee Cattermole.

The spotlight won’t be forensically trained on the 25-year-old, either. Sunderland aren’t the most high-profile side in the division and consequently the minutiae of M’Vila’s every move won’t be analysed. Nonetheless, it’s imperative the ex-Rennes sensation knuckles down, keeps his attitude in check and shows those at the Stadium of Light what all the hype was once about.

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