John Mensah is excited kicking off his Sunderland career this week.

The former Lyon defender told The Journal: "My agent spoke to me a lot about the English Premier League. I used to watch it a lot on the television, so it was not all about talking to other players about it.

"I have played for many teams in Europe, I've played at the World Cup, so it's good for me to get used to playing different styles.

"This league is special, it's the most competitive league in the world and it is spread around the world. Every team runs fast, it's physical and the mentality of the game is faster than the rest. This is my first time in England but I'm sure I will get used to it."

It can often take African players months, if not years, to fully acclimatise to English conditions, but having left Ghana when was just 17, Mensah does not worry about adjusting.

He said: "This is my first week in England and I'm told it will get colder, but I used to play in Switzerland, Italy and France and it got cold. I just want to play. I'm a centre-back, but I can play anywhere. I prefer to play there but I'm happy to help the team. I play for the interests of the team."