Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill has revealed that Paddy McNair is 'determined' to get a move to the Premier League after Brighton had a bid rejected for the Sunderland man.

McNair put in a man-of-the-match performance for his country as they drew 0-0 against World Cup-bound Panama in the early hours of this morning, not long after speculation had emerged regarding his future.

An unnamed Premier League club, now known to be Brighton, had a bid rejected by the Black Cats for their star man yesterday.

Yet, O'Neill was quoted by the Belfast Telegraph as saying his player is keen on returning to the top-flight.

"His running power and quality is evident to see, and he is so determined to get back to the Premier League and hopefully he gets that chance. Paddy McNair is a Premier League player."

The 23-year old came through the ranks at Manchester United and moved to Wearside when the club were in the Premier League but has suffered terribly with injuries over the years.

However, he managed to string a run of games together towards the end of the previous campaign, scoring four goals in his last five matches, although it wasn't enough to prevent a second successive relegation for Sunderland.

The Verdict

Sunderland fans won't like reading this but in reality it's normal for the player to want to play at the highest level possible.

They did stick by the Northern Ireland man after years of injury and it may hurt that he wants to leave but a move seems inevitable now.

For the North East club, it's about doing all they can to ensure they get a fair fee for a player who has displayed real quality when available.

Thoughts, Sunderland fans? Let us know in the comments below.