Januzaj eager to prove himself again

Adnan Januzaj says he made the move to Sunderland to try and prove himself again by playing regular first-team football.

The 21-year-old made his debut for David Moyes’ side in their 2-1 defeat to Manchester City on Saturday, having joined on a season-long loan deal from Manchester United.

Januzaj is eager to play after a 2015-16 campaign that saw him fail to make a single league start for either United or Borussia Dortmund, with whom he spent a spell on loan.

“I am looking forward to playing my football – I came here to get games and to play for this club because the manger gave me the opportunity to prove myself again,” he told the club’s official website.

“I am really happy to be here. We have a very good group, very nice lads, very good coaches and obviously the fans are unbelievable. 

“I am 21 and I want to play games, so I came here to play. I look forward to the next game [against Middlesbrough], I heard that it is a derby game and hopefully we will go for the win.”

Januzaj agreed he had played his best football during Moyes’ spell in charge at Old Trafford in the 2013-14 season – when he played 27 times in the Premier League – and also welcomed Sunderland’s signings of Paddy McNair and Donald Love from Jose Mourinho’s team.  

He said: “I was already friends with them – at Man United we played all together. Obviously it is good to have them here and I look forward to playing with them.

“Of course I look forward to working with him [Moyes]. I always enjoyed playing in his team with the freedom and confidence he gives me. Once you have that confidence you can make things happen.”