BRENDAN RODGERS has told Sunderland that Derek McInnes would be the “perfect fit” for transforming the fortunes at the Stadium of Light after being shortlisted for the job.

Rodgers was speaking at Hampden Park yesterday ahead of leading Celtic into the Scottish Cup final against McInnes’ Aberdeen.

Sources close to McInnes insist there has been no contact from Wearside, although the Black Cats’ chief executive Martin Bain is seriously considering a move for his services.

The Aberdeen manager, who has led the Dons to back-to-back second place finishes in the Scottish Premier League behind Celtic, is only focused on trying to lead his team to success this afternoon at Hampden.

While McInnes didn’t want to say much on his own job prospects, former Liverpool and Swansea boss Rodgers was more than happy to recommend his rival for the Sunderland job.

Rodgers said: “I think he is perfect for it. I saw that (link) during the week and I think he is absolutely perfect for it. It is a big club that has had a change and now needs someone who can go in there and who can organise, someone who has been at a big club. And Derek has been at big clubs.

“He played at Rangers, he has been down in England so he understands it. He has been down in England and has had a difficult time so he gets that. He has done a great job with Aberdeen, which is a big job.

“He would go in, give them a bit of life, get them organised. He knows the game, he can engage with players.

“He can motivate players and the Championship is a tough league. I got promoted there with Swansea and it is 46 games of graft and work and commitment.

“I think it would be brilliant for him if that is what he wanted to do. It is certainly a club of that magnitude – it is a big club, Sunderland – and for me he would be perfect.”

Sunderland have had their problems and McInnes was unable to secure success with Bristol City. Rodgers is convinced he will have learned from that period of his career.

He said: “He is in a really good place. He has built something up over the course of four years and has given Aberdeen great stability. He has brought in a group of players who have done very well. He may look at Sunderland as a possibility to get into the Premier League; maybe 50,000 supporters and a great stadium.”

Sunderland are prepared to bide their time and have only seriously started to really work on things within the last 48 hours. McInnes, after a reference from former Rangers boss Walter Smith, is just one of the contenders, while Burton boss Nigel Clough has been mentioned.

Former Leicester boss Nigel Pearson, ex-Sunderland striker Kevin Phillips,  Fulham’s Slavisa Jokanovic and Garry Monk   following his Leeds exit, are among the alternatives. McInnes, though, did not want to be drawn on the interest from the North-East.

The Aberdeen manager said: “There is a natural end point for a lot of people in football but I don't feel it is now. I still feel there is more to achieve. I'm protective of my own career.

“There have been opportunities to move in the past but I have never been in any real rush to leave Aberdeen. If we continue to do our jobs well there may be opportunities in the future, but a lot of things would have to be right for me to consider leaving.

“I made a bad decision leaving St Johnstone for Bristol City. I actually feel like I did a lot of my best work as a manager when I was at Bristol City, but sometimes results don't always play out and back that up.

“I actually feel that keeping that team up from being in a really poor situation and with the level of player we had in, I thought we did extremely well to keep them in the division. Any manager can only be as strong as the team round about him as well.

“There are still things to achieve, if we win the cup this weekend then I'll want to come back next year and do it again. Honestly, it's (Sunderland link) been no distraction whatsoever.”

George Honeyman, meanwhile, has signed a new two-year contract – even though he missed out on triggering a deal automatically.

The 22-year-old midfielder had to play one extra game – and it didn’t need to be a full match or a start – to have his terms renewed.

But Honeyman suffered a back injury in training when Lamine Kone fell on him, ruling him out of the final few games.

However, the academy graduate has signed his new contract at the Stadium of Light and he is delighted to have got things sorted.

He said: "I am delighted to commit my future to the club where I have spent most of my football life. I am now looking forward to working hard over the summer in preparation for the new season."

Honeyman made six first team appearances last season and is expected to be an important member of the squad after Sunderland’s fall into the Championship.