ASTON VILLA have joined Leeds United and Everton in the race for Sunderland midfielder Gavin McCann.

New Villans boss David O'Leary is a keen admirer of the 25-year-old, and the Irishman tracked the player while in charge at Elland Road.

O'Leary was appointed as Graham Taylor's successor at Villa Park on Tuesday and he is already considering a £2m-plus swoop for McCann.

The move will come as McCann's teammate, goalkeeper Jurgen Macho, finally secured a dream move to Claudio Ranieri's Chelsea.

Tough-tackling McCann is one of a number of players at the Stadium of Light who have been told they will be allowed to leave provided the club receives acceptable offers.

Villa chairman Doug Ellis has yet to reveal how much cash will be made available for transfers at Villa this summer. But O'Leary is thought to have earmarked McCann regardless, even if it means off-loading a number of the stars he has inherited first.

McCann's style of play is exactly what Aston Villa lacked during a disappointing campaign which led to Taylor resigning just last week.

Former Sunderland boss Peter Reid, now in charge at Leeds, will fight O'Leary all the way for the middle man. Reid signed McCann for £500,000 in 1998 from Everton and he helped him become one of the brightest English talents in the Premiership.

McCann's impressive form under Reid coincided with the player receiving his only England cap to date in February 2001, when he helped his country overcome Spain 3-0 in Sven-Goran Eriksson's first match in charge.

And, ironically, his international debut came at the stadium where he may be playing his football in the top-flight next season - Villa Park.

Meanwhile, Austrian Macho has revealed he will sign his new contract at Stamford Bridge on July 1, when his deal at the Stadium of Light expires.

And a statement from Chelsea confirmed: "We have agreed in principle that he will join us but he won't sign until July 1."

Meanwhile, Sunderland boss Mick McCarthy has made his first signing of the summer.

Highly-rated defender Mark Rossiter has signed a new one-year contract at the club, despite not playing his first game under the new regime yet.

The 19-year-old is still recovering from a serious knee injury sustained while on duty for the Republic of Ireland Under-21s against Albania.

He made his Sunderland debut in the shock 3-2 Worthington Cup win over Arsenal in November.

And Rossiter, who signed from Galway United as a schoolboy, is delighted to have put pen to paper on an extension to his terms that were due to run out at the end of next month.

"It's great to sign the deal," he said. "I'll be working hard to get my fitness back and I'm really looking forward to playing under Mick McCarthy."

* Sunderland midfielder John Oster has been selected to represent Wales in their friendly with the USA on May 26 at the Spartan Stadium, San Jose, California.

Oster could be pitched against Sunderland teammate Claudia Reyna, who has been recalled to the Americans' squad following a lengthy absence due to a knee injury.

Read more about Sunderland here.