Premiership: Souness wishes McAteer well

Graeme Souness claims Jason McAteer would join Sunderland with his best wishes and denies he has ever had a problem with the midfielder.

McAteer is set to complete his transfer to Sunderland for a reported fee of £1m.

The Republic of Ireland international has been keen to leave Blackburn since falling out of favour with Souness in April.

However, Souness insists suggestions of a rift between the pair are "mischief making" and that he has no problem with McAteer.

Souness claims he has not been picking McAteer, who cost Rovers £4m from Liverpool in January 1999, for footballing reasons only.

"I like Macca," he said. "I like him as a man. If he were to leave here, I would wish him well.

"He's not caused me a minute's problem since he has been here.

"I can understand why he's not happy here. He wants to be in the team, but I feel we are particularly strong down the right-hand side.

"Apart from wanting to be in the team here, he knows the World Cup is looming.

"He knows he has a real chance of going to Korea and Japan, but he has to be starting somewhere so I can understand his decision."