As reported by ESPN FC, N’Zogbia was invited to train with the Black Cats by Sam Allardyce after his contract at Aston Villa expired at the end of last season. Although Allardyce left the club soon after for the England job, he gave his replacement David Moyes a positive report of the Frenchman’s progress on Wearside.
According to the broadcaster, N’Zogbia impressed in training prior to scoring the winner in Sunderland’s pre-season friendly at Rotherham United on Saturday, earning a place in Moyes’ squad for their week-long training camp in France.
The Scot is now ready to offer the 30-year-old a chance to get his career back on track after a nightmarish end to his spell at Villa, making just two Premier League appearances last term as the club were relegated.
The broadcaster reports that N’Zogbia had been a long-term target of Sunderland’s prior to his arrival this summer, as they eyed a move for him on deadline day in the January window, by which point his last league appearance came on November 21st.