DAVID MOYES has rejected the chance to sign former England international Micah Richards, but the new Sunderland boss is confident of making a number of additions within the next seven days.

Black Cats chief executive Martin Bain will return to Wearside tomorrow morning, having held discussions with Moyes at Sunderland’s training base in the French town of Evian-les-Bains.

The pair firmed up their transfer plans, with Bain now tasked with the job of pushing through the deals Moyes has prioritised ahead of the start of the new season.

The Sunderland boss is understood to regard the signing of a new striker as an essential requirement, and is also hoping to recruit an attacking midfielder, a wide player and at least two new defenders.

One of those defenders could have been Richards, with Sunderland having lined up a £5m deal for the Aston Villa full-back earlier in the summer.

The deal was placed on ice when Sam Allardyce’s future became uncertain, and Moyes does not want to trigger the relegation release clause in the 28-year-old’s contract.

Richards would have been one of the highest-paid players at the Stadium of Light had he moved to Sunderland, and Moyes is understood to feel that the money that had been earmarked for Richards’ wages could be better spent on alternative targets.

He is yet to make a decision on whether to hand Charles N’Zogbia a permanent deal, with the former Newcastle United midfielder expected to make another appearance in Sunderland’s friendly with French side Dijon FCO tomorrow.

N’Zogbia has played in the Black Cats’ last three friendly games, having been invited to train at the Academy of Light by Allardyce following the end of his previous contract at Aston Villa.