Forward speaks about Sunderland exit – Suggests he didn’t want to leave

Benin international Stephane Sessegnon has spoken to Turkish journalist Ugur Karakullukcu’s YouTube channel about his time at Sunderland and how his move away from the club came about.

Sessegnon was a popular player with Sunderland fans but left the during the 2013 summer transfer window and joined West Bromwich Albion in a surprise deadline day move.

Only 12 months previous to his move to the Hawthorns the attacker had signed a contract extension with the Black Cats that would have kept him at the Stadium of Light until 2015.

Sessegnon said he was very happy at Sunderland at the time, and he thanked the club’s fans for the support they showed him: “I was enjoying it at Sunderland, I had a very good time there. But then I left the club, this kind of thing can happen in football. The managers always make decisions, and the Sunderland manager made a decision about me, so I respect that.

“When I decided I had to leave Sunderland, I needed to find another club. All I was thinking at the time was my professional career.”

Now playing for Turkish Super Lig side Genclerbirligi, Sessegnon had an impressive two year spell with Sunderland.

He joined the club from Paris Saint Germain in 2011 and went on to make 97 appearances, scoring 18 goals.