Sunderland have turned down a bid in the region of £2m from an unnamed Premier League club for midfielder Paddy McNair who enjoyed a fine end to the season.

The Wearside outfit, who have recently been taken over by Stewart Donald, will know that they face a tough task in keeping hold of their better players after a second successive relegation means they will be playing in League One next season.

However, the takeover means that the club is no longer in a desperate financial position and they have demonstrated that by rejecting a £2m bid for the Northern Ireland international - according to the Sunderland Echo.

Yet, that is unlikely to be the end of the matter for the Black Cats with the report stating that clubs in the top two divisions will be looking to take advantage of Sunderland's position in the coming months, with the likes of George Honeyman, Josh Maja and Joel Asoro also attracting interest.

McNair, who is 23-years old, suffered terribly with injuries this season but did get a run of games towards the end of the season and finished the campaign with four goals in his last five matches.

The Verdict

It's going to be very hard for Sunderland to keep hold of their better players this summer but at least they have shown they won't be bullied in the market by rejecting this bid.

McNair is a talented player and interest was inevitable, the only issue with the player surrounds his fitness.

The club will now need to speak to the player, see what his feelings are and if a move is inevitable ensure they get the best price so Jack Ross can have more money to rebuild.

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