The 20-year-old is the Black Cats' top scorer this season with 15 goals in League One but has departed for France after signing a four-and-a-half-year deal with Les Girondins.

The fragility of belief in the Championship was perhaps best summed up this week by Andy Reid, who has known hope and despair in both Nottingham and Sunderland, and witnessed a sort of ‘Beatlemania’ form around Martin O’Neill’s return to Forest, writes Larry Ryan.

Sunderland have sacked manager Chris Coleman after failing to keep the club in the Sky Bet Championship.

Darron Gibson has left Sunderland by mutual consent after being charged with drink driving, the club has announced.

Former Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn has dismissed reports he is part of a consortium considering a takeover of the struggling Sky Bet Championship club.

Sunderland midfielder Jack Rodwell has been left in no doubt about as to what fans think of him after a flurry of hilarious comments appeared online today.

Rudy Gestede and Martin Braithwaite scored in the first half as Middlesbrough dumped dismal north-east rivals Sunderland out of the FA Cup with a 2-0 win at the Riverside Stadium.

Chris Coleman cited a difference of opinion with the Welsh hierarchy for his decision to leave Wales and become Sunderland's new manager.

Police have released CCTV footage of two people being knocked down in a "horrific" hit-and-run.

McGeady has “fallen back in love with football”.

Niall Quinn believes there is a way back for Darron Gibson at Sunderland, just so long as the player does his talking on the pitch rather than in a bar.

Premier League footballer Jermain Defoe wore an England shirt for the funeral of his six-year-old "best friend", Bradley Lowery, whose cancer battle captured hearts around the world.

Republic of Ireland winger McGeady joins from Everton on a three-year deal.

Sunderland have announced the double signing of Aiden McGeady and James Vaughan.

Bradley Lowery, the football mascot whose beaming smile touched thousands of people around the world, has died after a battle with a rare cancer, his family said.

Yes, you read that right…

Simon Grayson looks poised to become the new Sunderland manager after a day of big developments on Wearside.

A group of Sunderland-supporting television executives linked with a move to buy the club have admitted now is not the right time to do so.

Short appears to be ready to do business after a bruising spell at the Stadium of Light.

Former Sunderland manager David Moyes has been fined £30,000 for his "slap" comment towards a female journalist in March.

John O'Shea is among a number of senior players not included on Sunderland's retained list in the wake of relegation.

After the fairytale of Leicester City’s unexpected success last year, this season marked a brutal back to business return for the Billionaire Boys from The Bridge, writes Nick Callow.

Chelsea celebrated lifting the Premier League trophy with a record 30th win as relegated Sunderland were dispatched with ease at Stamford Bridge.

Chris Hatherall ranks the clubs ahead of the final day of the Premier League season.

The England forward posted a collage of pictures of himself with Bradley on Twitter .

Alexis Sanchez hit a brace as Arsenal secured victory over relegated Sunderland in front of a sparsely populated Emirates Stadium to keep alive their dwindling hopes of Champions League qualification.

The terminally-ill boy had been in great pain lately, his family said.

Arsene Wenger has refused to criticise West Ham for their feeble performance against Liverpool which looks set to cost Arsenal a place in the Champions League next season.

Redknapp feels there isn’t much difference between Conte and Sean Dyche or David Moyes.

Former Sunderland chief executive Margaret Byrne received an £850,000 pay-off after resigning in the wake of Adam Johnson's conviction on child sex offences.

Both Sam Allardyce and Tony Pulis have today expressed an interest in signing Sunderland striker Jermain Defoe.

Sunderland’s five-year sleep walk towards relegation may be complete but some supporters are looking forward to life outside the Premier League.

"It is alleged the Sunderland manager's remarks were improper and/or threatening and/or brought the game into disrepute."

Sunderland's survival hopes look bleaker than ever after Manchester United strolled to a 3-0 victory that gives Jose Mourinho's men a timely shot in the arm.

Sunderland have given manager David Moyes their full support amid growing condemnation of his "wholly unacceptable" suggestion that he might slap a female reporter.

Latest: Football Association chiefs are to contact Sunderland over manager David Moyes' threat to "slap" a female reporter.

Sunderland 0 Manchester City 2: Sunderland were game, but the harsh truth is that they were woefully lacking in just about every department. Try as they might, the most stern test faced by Manchester City arrived in the aftermath of the final whistle.

The family of a mascot whose battle with terminal cancer has touched the world of football said he is doing well and they are "not ready to give up".

Sunderland 0, Tottenham 0: Sunderland boss David Moyes was given some respite at the end of a frustrating January as Tottenham wasted the chance to maintain their pursuit of Premier League leaders Chelsea.

Sunderland have announced they will no longer be signing Yann M'Vila.

That was old school.

Danny Drinkwater and Fraser Forster were deemed unfit.

Joe Allen's scoring streak continued as his double gave Stoke a first Premier League victory of the season over winless Sunderland.

Christian Benteke's injury-time header left Sunderland still waiting for a first Premier League win of the season as Crystal Palace came back from 2-0 down to snatch victory.

Pochettino will be sweating on the striker's fitness after he had to be carried off in the 89th minute.

Sunderland 0 Everton 3

Romelu Lukaku ended an 11-game Premier League drought in style with an 11-minute hat-trick as he fired Everton to a 3-0 victory at Sunderland.