FORMER Sunderland midfielder David Meyler has admitted the opportunity to play regular first-team football at Hull City was too good to turn down.

Meyler completed his £1.5m transfer to the KC Stadium yesterday after a four-and-ahalf year spell at the Stadium of Light.

His move comes after a successful loan spell with the Tigers in which he scored three goals in ten games for the Championship club.

The Republic of Ireland international was taken to Hull by former Black Cats manager Steve Bruce, and has impressed so much that the Tigers were willing to fork out for his services permanently.

Bruce is also keen on signing striker Fraizer Campbell from Wearside.

Hull currently sit second in the Championship table behind Cardiff City, and the acquisitions of Meyler and Manchester United youngster Robbie Brady will no doubt help their push for promotion come May.

Meyler’s move will end a tricky spell on Wearside, in which the midfielder has had to recover from two serious knee injuries. He has also had a battle to nail down a starting place and although he is sad to leave the Premier League, Meyler explained why the opportunity at Hull couldn’t be ignored.

“I have a lot of friends at Sunderland and the fans were always great to me, a real touch of class,” Meyler admitted.

“Sunderland is a special place and I will be sad to leave, but the show must go on and I have to further my career, and that will be away from Sunderland.

“Every footballer just wants to play every week, if you’re not injured you just want to be involved.

“It can be mentally frustrating, and with the two injuries I have suffered, I’ve spent a lot of time on the sidelines and had to reflect a lot, so that has helped me with my mental toughness.

“To come back and be part of something, play every week, is all I ever wanted. But the opportunity never really arose at Sunderland, it was always stop-start for me there.

“Steve Bruce gave me the opportunity to come to Hull and play regular football and it has gone well, for me and for the team, the manager has been delighted with me and my family is over the moon with how things have gone here.”

Meyler may be swapping the Premier League for the Championship, but with Hull flying high at the top, the Cork City academy product believes it won’t be too long before he is playing in the top flight once again.

He said: “When I sat down with Steve Bruce a few months ago, he said he was going to take this team into the Premier League and he said he needed me to be part of that. I want to be part of that and so does Robbie Brady.

“I have been fortunate to play in 20-odd games in the Premier League with Sunderland.

I have had a taste of it and I want more, that’s the ambition I have. I have come here to help Hull get into the Premier League.’’ Sunderland, meanwhile, moved a step closer to completing the transfer of France Under-21 international Alfred N’Diaye after the midfielder arrived on Wearside to discuss personal terms yesterday.

The Black Cats agreed a fee of around £3m with Turkish side Bursaspor for the 22-yearold after they rejected an initial offer of around £2m.

Danny Graham remains a top target for the Black Cats, but they face competition from QPR after Newcastle target Loic Remy turned down an offer to move to Loftus Road.

The Swansea City striker tweeted yesterday afternoon: “London bound!!!!”

Young Sunderland left-back Blair Adams has extended his loan spell at Coventry City until January 16.