Sunderland Transfer News: Cuellar Signs with Black Cats, Reunites with O'Neill

Martin O'Neill has made his first signing of the summer at Sunderland and that signing is a familiar face to the Black Cats manager.

The newest player at the Stadium of Light is former Rangers and Aston Villa defender Carlos Cuellar.

Sky Sports gives all the details on the transfer of the Spanish defender who was let go by Aston Villa after the end of the 2011-12 season.

Sunderland will be the sixth club for Cuellar, who spent the last four seasons at Villa Park.

Cuellar was brought into Villa Park from Rangers when O'Neill was in charge of the Birmingham club and now the current Sunderland boss has given one of his former players a chance to stay in the Premier League.

The 30-year-old defender will add to depth that the Black Cats have on defense, as players like John O'Shea, Wes Brown, Michael Turner and Phil Bardsley already occupy the back four at the Stadium of Light in front of keeper Simon Mignolet.

In his first full season in charge of the club, O'Neill will be looking to improve on last season's 13th-place finish in the Premier League.

In his time at Villa, Cuellar made 94 appearances in four seasons and played both centre-back and left-back for the club.

At Sunderland, Cuellar will be asked to play his preferred position, centre-back.