Joel Lynch reveals why he wanted to sign for Sunderland

The 31-year-old has put pen to paper on a one-year deal at the Stadium of Light, becoming Jack Ross' sixth signing of the summer.

Lynch, who spent last season with QPR, had been on trial with Sheffield United this summer and has been a regular in the Championship in recent years with more than 200 appearances.

Ross says the defender will add some extra competition to an area which already sees Alim Ozturk, Jordan Willis, Jack Baldwin and Tom Flanagan battling it out.

"He just gives us another body in the central defensive area, but somebody with vast experience at a level higher than this.”

The ex-Brighton & Hove Albion, Nottingham Forest and Huddersfield Town defender was available on a free after leaving QPR at the end of last season.

Lynch said: “It’s an amazing club and I’m just excited to get going because it has everything you need to succeed.”

Ross added: "Joel is an experienced defender with a lot of know-how. He has played the bulk of his career in the Championship and will bring a lot of physicality and strength to our squad.

“It is important to have those attributes as a defender and that was why we wanted to bring him to the club.

“He had interest from elsewhere so we had to patient in getting this deal done, but we feel as though we’ve got someone who will strengthen our squad which is important.”