Former Everton midfielder Darron Gibson has admitted he needed a new start after a frustrating spell at Goodison Park and regular first-team football was one of the reasons why he left to join Sunderland in the January transfer window.
The midfielder completed a £7.5million move to Wearside alongside Bryan Oviedo earlier this week, having started just five Premier League games for the Blues since David Moyes' departure in 2013.
The transfer sees Gibson join Moyes at the Stadium of Light, ending a five-year spell on Merseyside, and he is hoping his latest move will allow him to enjoy his football again.
Gibson needs a 'new start'
Gibson was signed by Moyes in January 2012 and made 26 appearances in his first season at Everton, but injuries and new managers have seen the midfielder fall down the pecking order at Goodison.
The 29-year-old said a desire to play regular first-team football was the driving force behind his decision to leave Merseyside and admitted it has been a "tough two years" for him and he "needed out" of Everton.
Gibson has not featured for the Blues in a Premier League match this season and the rise of Tom Davies and the January signing of Morgan Schneiderlin has seen Gibson's first-team football reduced even further.
The Republic of Ireland international admits after the lack of first-team football on Merseyside he is hoping for a "new start" at Sunderland as he needs to start to "enjoy his football again." Gibson said he has "enjoyed" training on Wearside since completing his move earlier this week, "which is not something I have not enjoyed for a while."
Moyes a major factor in move to Sunderland
Gibson also said his experience playing under Black Cat's David Moyes at Everton was a "big influence" in his decision to leave Goodison for the Stadium of the Light.
Moyes signed Gibson from Manchester United in January 2012 for an undisclosed fee and put pen to paper on a four-and-a-half-year deal. Although he started only five Premier League games since Moyes' departure, he signed a new contract extension last summer to keep him at Goodison Park until June 2018, but he now leaves Merseyside for Wearside.
Gibson said he played some of his "best football" under Moyes in his first two years at Everton and he is hoping that the Scot will once again bring the best out of him as he looks to secure more first-team football.