Muntari likely to leave Sunderland

Sulley Muntari’s agent has announced the Ghana international will not be making a permanent move to Sunderland in the close season.

Muntari, 26, is on loan at the English Premier League club from Serie A side Inter Milan.

An FA Cup winner in 2008 with Portsmouth, the midfielder has made seven appearances and scored one goal since agreeing a temporary move back to England in January.

But he is apparently unlikely to remain at the Stadium of Light beyond the end of the season, with his agent Fabien Piveteau claiming Sunderland are not prepared to finance a transfer.

“There is no chance at Sunderland for Sulley,” Piveteau said. “They have decided he is too expensive.”

According to Piveteau, Muntari’s international teammate John Mensah has better odds of earning a permanent move to Sunderland following a second successive season on loan from Ligue 1 club Lyon.

“For John, there is a good chance,” Piveteau said.

“The situation with him is that if he played 25 games, he would definitely sign for Sunderland but he has only played 18 at the moment.”

Mensah made just 14 starts last season due to injury problems, with that record only marginally better in the current campaign.

Nevertheless, Piveteau insists fitness concerns are not expected to stand in the way of a deal.

“He has not played all of the games but this season it has not been the same type of injuries for John,” he said.

“At the moment I think the results are the priority, but the coaches will talk with him soon about next season.”