SUNDERLAND'S deadline day recruit, Nicklas Bendtner, has outlined the relief he felt after finally sealing a move away from Arsenal and the part Steve Bruce played in pushing through the late deal.

In his first interview since securing a season-long loan to the Stadium of Light, Bendtner reveals how he sat in Denmark on Wednesday night anxiously waiting to learn whether his hopes of a deadline day switch had gone through.

Denmark boss Morten Olsen had told his squad that none of his players would be allowed to travel long distances and break away from the squad to finalise transfers.

So Bendtner's agent and father, Thomas, was left to conclude negotiations in the North-East having already had discussions over a similar switch to Stoke City earlier in the day.

Once the discussions had taken place and an agreement reached between Arsenal, Sunderland and the Bendtners, the 23-year-old put his signature on a loan contract until the end of the season.

"It all fell into place at the very last minute so it was a tough finish to the window," said Bendtner, due to face Norway in a crucial European Championships qualifier next week for Denmark.

"Thank God it finished in a good manner and it makes me both relieved and happy. I got confirmation that the deal was done ten minutes before the transfer deadline and then I had to fax back to confirm. If that part had failed then I would have been left in misery."

Bendtner had been in limbo for a number of weeks, knowing Arsenal were prepared to let him go and that there was significant interest from a number of Premier League clubs.

Even on deadline day he could have been agreeing to a move to Stoke, Blackburn, Queens Park Rangers or Everton, who were offered him as part of a deal that would have seen Mikael Arteta move to Arsenal sooner than he did.

However, having scored 18 goals during his teenage years under the management of Bruce at Birmingham, Bendtner was keen to be reunited with his former boss for a second time.

"Sunderland are a good club with fantastic fans, but the driving force behind my switch is the gaffer with whom I have a great relationship and I respect him immensely," said Bendtner.

"I spoke with Steve Bruce last night (Wednesday) as the deal was done and it was all about putting the day behind us. He knew that it meant a lot to me to leave Arsenal so it was a great relief for me to get this done."

The rangy Dane is under contract at the Emirates Stadium until 2014 and his international commitments prevented a permanent deal from taking place at such a late stage on Wednesday night.

But he is happy to have taken the first step towards leaving his first club for good, having been left on the sidelines for a number of months after being made available by Arsene Wenger.

If Sunderland and Bendtner, who will wear the same No 52 shirt he pulled on at Arsenal, are both happy with the way things have gone then he could move to Wearside permanently next summer in an £8m deal.

He said: "A lot of things have happened during this transfer window. Things I find hard to understand but the main thing is that I am at Sunderland now and it is a move that fills me with joy.

"I see this as a great opportunity. It is a place I want to be at and it is a club that I have had positive feelings for from the outset. They finished tenth last season, which they are looking to improve on and they have made some good signings.

"I see this as the right opportunity to kick-start my career all over. Hopefully things will move in the right direction now and I will be that player I aim to be.

"I still aim to leave Arsenal once this loan deal runs out. Hopefully this will end up a success for all involved and then I will go over my options next summer."

"No doubt this coming season will be a defining moment. It is huge for me.

"It means the world to me that I won't be at Arsenal this coming season. I hope never to return. But there is no 100 percent deal on what will happen next summer."

Where Bendtner will be accommodated in a strike-force that has seen Asamoah Gyan partner Stephane Sessegnon at the start of this season will be a conundrum Bruce is relishing.

Gyan has remained at Sunderland despite constant suggestions on deadline day that the Ghana international was close to leaving and he had handed in a transfer request, which the club have denied.

And yesterday Gyan - linked with Marseille, Galatsaray and Besiktas - said: "Those rumours have disturbed me to be honest. I do not want Sunderland fans to think that I am not happy in Sunderland.

"I am happy with Steve Bruce who invested so much money in me and I have to repay his faith. It is exciting when a club like Tottenham is interested, however I have a contract somewhere and I intend to honour that."