SUNDERLAND have announced the club will not be taking up the option to sign Djibril Cisse on a permanent basis this summer.

The striker joined the Wearsiders on loan from Marseille at the start of the campaign but despite ending the season as Sunderland's joint top scorer the 27-year-old has been told will be returning to the French first division outfit.

The controversial striker has attracted headlines as much for his activities off the field as his goals for the Black Cats this season. After an impressive start Cisse's form failed to impress during the latter part of the season and he bagged only two league goals since the turn of the year. He failed to feature in Sunderland's final game of the season against Chelsea.