CHRISTIAN BASSILA has been hailed as the man to make Sunderland a tougher proposition after the defensive midfielder was persuaded to reject the chance to play in Italy and France in favour of a move to Wearside.

Black Cats boss Mick McCarthy personally contacted the Frenchman's representatives on Tuesday night after learning he was considering a u-turn on a two-year deal at the Stadium of Light.

Le Championnat outfit Auxerre and an unnamed Serie A club had made a late move for Bassila which had threatened to scupper his proposed switch to the Premiership.

But the 27-year-old - a former Under-21 team-mate of Thierry Henry and David Trezeguet - stuck with his original choice after McCarthy used his powers of persuasion to seal the deal.

And the Sunderland boss, who speaks French following a 12-month spell as a player with Olympique Lyon, is not concerned about the way Bassila fretted over the decision, just pleased he is finally on board.

"I don't really know if someone made another offer or lodged an interest. I'd heard he'd signed for Auxerre and he was talking to them. It's very strange. Then we signed him and it was done," said McCarthy, who revealed he is unlikely to further add to his squad before Wednesday's transfer deadline.

"Did I intervene? Well I spent a lot of time on the phone so if that's intervening then I suppose I did, I just did my job, I didn't let it go, I kept ringing up and pestering them.

"When I played in France, my team-mates told me I spoke French like a Spanish cow. I think they understood the Yorkshire accent okay - and it's worked here.

"But I'm not really interested now. Strange things happen in transfer dealings, all that matters now is that he's here."

Bassila - who made three appearances for West Ham in the 2000-01 season - helped Strasbourg to promotion in 2001 and helped the club to 11th in May before quitting earlier this month.

At 6ft 4in he is a powerful figure in the middle of the pitch and McCarthy has included him in the squad for Saturday's trip to Wigan.

"Bassila looks like he'll fit in here, he gives us another option, he's a type of defensive midfield player that we haven't got," said McCarthy, who now has someone to compete with Carl Robinson in that particular role.

"He'll give us something different that will perhaps allow some of the more forward thinking players chance to express themselves and a bit more solidity in the centre of the park.

"I know how fit players are in France - having played there myself - and they look after themselves. He might not have done as much training as he wanted over the last two weeks because of the situation. But we'll weigh things up."

McCarthy has revealed striker Kevin Kyle's trip to the United States in a bid to sort out his hip injury has been a success.

There were fears Kyle's career would be over if his second operation did not show signs of the problem improving. But the Scot has arrived back in the North-East and things are looking brighter.

The 23-year-old - who underwent surgery at Dr Richard Steadman's world-renowned Colorado clinic - is now hopeful of being back in action some time early in the new year.

"It's brilliant news on Kyle. I have spoke to him on Saturday and he was really upbeat and positive about it and still is," said McCarthy. "Dave Binningsley was one of our physios out there with him and was very impressed with everything that went on.

"Kyle saw other people out there, he spoke to an American football player that had had a similar operation and gone in for another. He was saying he'd played again so that gives Kyle huge encouragement.

"They're not shrinking violets in American football so if he can come back and play on Astroturf it's great news for someone like Kevin."

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