Gyan joins Al-Ain on season-loan

Sunderland striker Asamoah Gyan made a surprise move to United Arab Emirates team Al-Ain on a season-long loan on Saturday.

Gyan had fallen out of favour with Black Cats boss Steve Bruce in recent months after a series of disappointing performances for the Premier League side and the Ghana star has been allowed to leave the Stadium of Light for the rest of the season.

Al-Ain initially wanted to complete a permanent deal for the 25-year-old, but Sunderland have decided he should only go out on loan.

Sunderland paid a club record £13 million ($20.6 million) to sign Gyan in August 2010, but a mediocre return of 11 goals in 37 appearances in all competitions, combined with Bruce's concerns about Gyan's attitude, prompted his move after just 13 months in England.

"Anyone who has seen Asamoah play will know that he hasn't been himself in recent months. This option suits all parties at the present time and the club is well-protected in the deal," Bruce said.

"Asamoah has three years remaining on his contract and of course my wish would be that he finds his spark again and we see him in red and white stripes next season in the form that first attracted us to him."

Gyan arrived at Sunderland after starring for his country at the World Cup in South Africa.

But his performances went downhill towards the end of last season and he has struggled to rediscover his touch during the early weeks of the new campaign.

Gyan's move comes just a day after Bruce talked of "parasites" surrounding the player after he was linked with several clubs following his goal in Ghana's 1-1 draw against England at Wembley in March.

"Since that game at Wembley, all the parasites, as I call them, hover around," Bruce said on Friday.

"People are in his ear constantly trying to engineer a deal for him."

"Certainly since the England game, when he played at Wembley so well on the night, something has been troubling him."

"It's very difficult, the constant speculation no matter what you try to quash or quell, and the people around him, the people who want to make a fast buck, shall we say, and it affects him in the end."