Carlos Cuellar: 'O'Neill tempted me to Sunderland'

New Sunderland signing Carlos Cuellar has revealed that he found the chance to work with Martin O'Neill again too hard to turn down.

The Spanish defender was managed by O'Neill during a stint at Aston Villa.

Having recently been released by the Villains, Cuellar put the finishing touches to his reunion with O'Neill at the Stadium of Light earlier today.

"Ever since I heard the rumour that Sunderland were interested in signing me, I wanted to come here," he told the club's official website. "To work again with the gaffer, Martin O'Neill, and with everyone talking so well about the club, I didn't have any problem and said straight away I wanted to come.

"[O'Neill] is so clever, he knows everyone very well and knows how to push everyone to get 100% out of them.

"He gets the best from every player and brings them together to make his teams very competitive."

Cuellar has become O'Neill's first permanent signing as Sunderland boss.