FORMER Gillingham player Nyron Nosworthy is expected to provide stiff competition to regular right-back Stephen Wright at his new club Sunderland.

Nosworthy joined the Black Cats on Friday, after failing to agree a fresh deal at Priestfield, and becomes manager Mick McCarthy's second summer recruit.

McCarthy is a firm believer in developing raw talent - as he has done with the likes of Dean Whitehead and Liam Lawrence - and he is sure the Brixton-born defender will be good enough to compete in the top flight of English football.

He said: "We're delighted to have signed Nyron, who joins the club as an experienced defender, despite his relatively young age.

"I'm sure he will provide Stephen Wright with strong competition."

Nosworthy progressed through the Gills' youth system, before going onto make 199 appearances for the club.

The 24-year-old was at times used an an emergency striker and will offer Sunderland plenty of versatility as they seek to prove the bookies wrong and avoid an immediate return to the Championship.

He became one of the first out-of-contract players to decline to stay at Priestfield in League 1, and attracted plenty of interest during the season.

Contract talks are on-going with captain Paul Smith, while Barry Ashby, Ian Cox, Nicky Southall, Bertrand Bossu and Mark Saunders will all hope to have their futures sorted out this week.