Oviedo: 'I'll look for option to stay in Premier League'; Left-back hints at leaving Sunderland

Bryan Oviedo only joined Sunderland four months ago but the left-back has told the Costa Rican media that he will look to leave the Stadium of Light this summer in order to stay in the Premier League.

Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images

Speaking to television station Teletica, Oviedo suggests he has little desire to play for the Black Cats in the second-tier next season:

I have a contract with Sunderland, it is a great team with a great infrastructure, the only problem was the relegation and if I have to continue well, the Championship is a great league, but I will always look for the option to remain in the Premier.

Oviedo was signed by David Moyes in January having previously worked with the now-former Sunderland boss at Everton.

The Costa Rican international opted to switch Goodison Park for the Stadium of Light in a combined fee worth £7.5m alongside fellow Toffee Darron Gibson.

The 27-year-old featured 16 times in a Sunderland shirt as the winter hopes of survival gave way to a spring limp to relegation. Oviedo made 10 starts, missing the confirmation of the drop with a 4-game absence during April with a hamstring injury.

Despite his desire to stay in the Premier League, the 5ft 8in defender believes Sunderland have a good chance of bouncing straight back from the Championship:

Sunderland are a great team, although now they will be in the second division and I know they will fight to return to the first.

But he isn't ruling out the prospect of playing in the second-tier and believes the division will prove a challenge as he looks to cement a place in a Costa Rican side bidding to be at the World Cup in 2018:

The second is very competitive and of a high level, I think it is quite difficult, even more difficult than the Premier and if I play there, I would not look bad.

Oviedo is just the latest player to indicate they believe there will be Premier League options available to them this summer.

With Jermain Defoe set to leave any day for a top-division club - most probably Bournemouth - Papy Djilobodji has also recently claimed he believes he too can find a Premier League berth next season. Lamine Kone is the other Black Cat almost certain to be picked up by a top-flight side.

Meanwhile, Fabio Borini appears to be on the verge of an exit to Italy with several Serie A clubs said to be keen on his signature and midfielder Wahbi Khazri has stated his desire to leave the Stadium of Light this summer too.

In Oviedo's case, finding himself in the Championship with Sunderland can be little surprise. When he signed from Everton, the Black Cats were rooted to the bottom of the league and already looking forlornly at the second tier. For that reason, many had expected that the defender would be preparing himself for the new campaign in the old second division.

Oviedo signed for Everton in 2012 from FC Copenhagen and went onto make 50 appearances for the Toffees.

After finding his opportunities near-constantly limited by the ever-present Leighton Baines, the left back declared his desire to leave Goodison late last year.

At the time he signed for Sunderland there were reports of various unnamed suitors for his services. He has previously been linked with the likes of QPR and Newcastle.