Taken from the Echo. .................... GUS POYET hopes the managerial upheaval at Swansea City this week will not scupper Sunderlandâs chances of signing Ki Sung-Yueng on a permanent deal. Midfielder Ki was out-of-favour under sacked Swansea boss Michael Laudrup last summer, with the Welsh club happy to let the high-earning South Korean international join Sunderland on a season-long loan deal. Even after Ki proved his worth at Sunderland with a series of impressive displays, Laudrup opted not to recall the 24-year-old during the January transfer window. But with Laudrup relieved of his duties earlier this week, there have been fears raised among Sunderland supporters that the next Swansea boss will take a different view on Ki. Poyet hopes that doesnât prove to be the case, with Sunderland still in a strong position to land Ki permanently, given he has entered the final 18 months of his contract. âI think the important thing is how happy Ki feels when he plays for us,â said Poyet. âHow much he is enjoying his football here? âBeing realistic, he is still under contract to Swansea. âNow Swansea have changed their manager and who knows whether whoever comes in will want Ki or not want him. âWe will have to manage that situation. âBut if you ask me if he is a player I would like to have here, yes I would.â Providing Sunderland avoid relegation, the Black Cats will still be odds-on to sign Ki. The former Celtic man was evasive over whether he expects to remain at the Stadium of Light next season when interviewed this week. âI donât know what will happen in the future but at the minute I am very happy playing for this club and with these boys,â he said. But Ki has enjoyed his spell on Wearside and it is thought he would be happy to make his move permanent. Swansea are conscious of recouping some of their investment in Ki too after splashing out £6million in 2012 to take the Korean to the Liberty Stadium. ....................... We have to get this lad signed up, he's one of the main reasons (on the pitch) that we're doing so well at the minute.
