Sunderland midfielder Lee Cattermole insists he was never rushing out the door at Middlesbrough.

Boro boss Gareth Southgate has been criticised for selling Cattermole to Wigan Athletic last January.

Cattermole told the Sunday Express: "I left because I wasn't playing at Boro. Gareth Southgate said in the paper recently I wanted to leave, but you only want to leave if you are not playing and I wasn't getting that chance. He rated other players ahead of me but I have proven I am better than them and will continue to do so.

"I made my debut at Boro at 17 and played more than 100 games for them as a teenager, which is mad when you think about it. I just knew it was time to go when I dropped my dad off before a match against Cardiff and I wasn't even on the bench. It was time to leave. It is all behind me now."