Martin O'Neill admits Asamoah Gyan is unlikely to make Sunderland return

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<div class="track"><img alt="" src="http://hits.guardian.co.uk/b/ss/guardiangu-feeds/1/H.24.1.1/79602?ns=guardian&pageName=Martin+O%27Neill+admits+Asamoah+Gyan+is+unlikely+to+make+Sunderland+return%3AArticle%3A1730988&ch=Football&c3=GU.co.uk&c4=Sunderland+%28Football%29%2CMartin+O%27Neill+%28football%29%2CTransfer+window+%28football%29%2CFootball%2CSport&c5=Football+World+Cup%2CPremier+League&c6=Press+Association&c7=12-Apr-13&c8=1730988&c9=Article&c10=News&c11=Football&c13=&c25=&c30=content&c42=Sport&h2=GU%2FSport%2FFootball%2FSunderland" width="1" height="1" /></div><p class="standfirst">• Record signing currently on a season-long loan in UAE<br />• Gyan has two years remaining on his Sunderland contract</p><p>Martin O'Neill has hinted that Sunderland's record signing, Asamoah Gyan, is unlikely to return to the club.</p><p>The £13million-plus Ghana striker is currently with the United Arab Emirates side Al-Ain on a season-long loan deal after securing a shock move away from the Stadium of Light in September.</p><p>That agreement was made three months before O'Neill succeeded Steve Bruce, the man who had signed the 26-year-old Gyan from the French side Rennes barely 12 months earlier, and although there was talk of a return to Wearside in January, the lucrative agreement between the two clubs did not allow for that.</p><p>However, Gyan has two years remaining on his contract and while any decision on his future is yet to be finalised, O'Neill has suggested it may not lie with him.</p><p>He said: "The situation is, I believe it was a year-long loan for a start for which they had to pay us some money of the transfer fee which we paid in the first place, and that is still in existence.</p><p>"There was some talk between all parties in January that didn't come to anything. I wasn't party to those conversations, although I was kept informed of them, of course. I think it will be the end of the season before I can assess anything.</p><p>"There has to be a willingness on behalf of all parties as well; you wouldn't really want somebody who is really unwilling to come back to the football club, if that's the case.</p><p>"It's unfair of me to say that because it might not be the case, but it seems to be the message that's coming across."</p><p>While it would be no real surprise if Gyan did sever his ties with Sunderland, it would leave them once again searching for a prolific goalscorer.</p><p>Amid mounting speculation over potential targets and possible departures, O'Neill insists he is yet to speak to the owner, Ellis Short, about his plans for the summer.</p><p>He said: "I haven't considered it and I certainly haven't had an opportunity to speak to a very important man at the football club who happens to own it.</p><p>"We will sit down, we will assess it. I think he is going to be here for the last couple of games of the season, which is encouraging."</p><p>Sunderland will head into Saturday's Premier League clash with bottom side Wolves with the respective fortunes of the two clubs having differed markedly since they last met on 4 December.</p><p>That day O'Neill sat in the stands at Molineux having been announced as manager but yet to take charge, and saw the team he was about to inherit lose 2-1 despite taking the lead and squandering a penalty.</p><p>O'Neill said: "I have to say I was obviously very concerned coming in. I got a great response from the players, a great response from the supporters and between them they got some results."</p><div class="related" style="float: left; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><ul><li><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/sunderland">Sunderland</a></li><li><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/martin-o-neill">Martin O'Neill</a></li><li><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/transfer-window">Transfer window</a></li></ul></div><br/><div class="terms"><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk">guardian.co.uk</a> &copy; 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our <a href="http://users.guardian.co.uk/help/article/0,,933909,00.html">Terms & Conditions</a> | <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/help/feeds">More Feeds</a></div><p style="clear:both" />
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