Sunderland Football Club fully expect to sign John Mensah shortly.

The Black Cats have agreed a season-long loan deal for the Ghanaian defender, and Steve Bruce, the manager, has revealed all they are waiting for is a work permit.

"We are further along with it and we don't envisage a problem," he said. "We are just waiting on the British Embassy in Paris to stamp his visa and once he gets his visa he can get into the country."

Mensah only joined Lyon from Rennes last summer for around £6million, but he is a casualty of the French side failing to win Ligue 1 for the first time since 2001.