Olympique Marseille striker Mamadou Niang says good friend Djibril Cisse is enjoying life at Sunderland.

Cisse has pleaded with Sunderland to make his loan permanent and Niang told Foot Mercato: "You have to understand him. Football is a passion. He knows that l'OM is a better club than Sunderland, but he sought the pleasure of playing, to feel loved.

"He passed through a very difficult time in Marseille.

"He was criticized, hissed, they insulted his family at the stadium. He reached a certain age, he needed to rediscover the concept of pleasure. When I have him on the phone, he laughs all the time, he tells jokes, he is happy."