Sunderland boss Steve Bruce has spoken out against the excess of ‘money and greed’ in football, claiming that it means clubs like Sunderland cannot keep key players.

"The power now is with the players," Bruce said. "For all the greatness of the Premier League, money and greed now spirals out of control."

Sunderland recently lost striker Asmoah Gyan to United Arab Emirates club Al Ain for a reported £200,000 a week, and Bruce has questioned the player’s motives for the move.

"If Arsenal can't keep hold of players, we have to accept that Sunderland are going to find it difficult, too. It's part and parcel of what any club will face if someone is determined to go," he added.

"I can understand anyone who wants to better themselves. Ambition is what makes the great players great players. The rest? They're driven by something else, which I can never come to terms with."

Sunderland currently sit at 12th place in the Premier League with five points from five games.