Michael Chopra has revealed Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer convinced him about joining Sunderland.

He said: "When Sunderland came in, he said that if I wanted to play in the Premier League I had to do it. He said they have a good manager, a good team and I had to put all other issues aside.

"Alan made difficult decisions. He moved to Southampton when he was 15, turned his back on Manchester United twice, so he knew how hard it was but he also knew what was right.

"Roy Keane rang me, told me his plans and said he wanted me. When you see what he has achieved and won, he knows good players. And if he wants you it's hard to turn him down, no matter who you are. Where I came from was not an issue for him, so why should it be for me?

"Players turned him down last year and I was thinking, 'Why would you do that?' Being a boy from the North-East I know how big a club Sunderland can be and I really didn't have any doubts. I knew straight away I wanted to sign."