BBC Sports reporter Leon Mann has just tweeted from his ‘sources’ that Sunderland forward Asamoah Gyan has just handed in a transfer request at the Stadium of Light on Transfer Deadline Day!

Gyan has started the season terribly in a misfiring team with the Sunderland fans getting on his back in games against Newcastle and Swansea when Gyan couldn’t seem to hit the target despite finding himself in good positions. From the outside looking in, Gyan certainly hasn’t looked right on the pitch for a while now and seems to be troubled and now perhaps the frustrations of the fans turning on him, and with the poor run of form his club have been under in 2011, and the pressures of being the club’s only talisman and maybe what he thinks is a lack of ambition in the club in the wake of Darren Bent’s transfer to Aston Villa in January, perhaps he has had enough.

25 year old Gyan cost Sunderland their club record of £13 million when he came from French club Rennes exactly a year ago on transfer deadline day.

Could a deal be done before the end of the transfer window? Have the rest of the Premier League now been alerted to his availability? Could a swap deal involving Peter Crouch and Tottenham be in the offing which would alleviate the anger somewhat of the Sunderland fans?

Update: Metro newspaper claims it’s all about money with Gyan’s reps thinking the player is deserving of a better salary on the backs of interest from Turkish sides Galatasaray and Trabzonspor but chairman Niall Quinn won’t give him the dough because he is only 1 year into a long term contract.

Update

Asamoah Gyan wants Turkish transfer after Sunderland refuse pay rise Sunderland's transfer deadline day business looks to have been overshadowed by Asamoah Gyan's bombshell to manager Steve Bruce - the striker saying he wants to leave for Turkey because he has been refused a pay rise.

The 25-year-old broke Sunderland's transfer record when he completed a £13million switch from French side Rennes on deadline day last summer. But despite endearing himself to the Black Cats faithful, he appears to be seeking better terms elsewhere.

Gyan's representatives have asked chairman Niall Quinn about a possible pay rise, but Sunderland don't consider this an option at present, with the player only a year into a long-term contract.

Turkish outfits Galatasaray and Trabzonspor have already indicated they would be prepared to dramatically increase Gyan's basic salary, and include lucrative bonuses based on goals and appearances.

The only sticking point is a transfer fee - with Sunderland keen to make a healthy profit on their outlay last summer, and be compensated for losing a star man with just hours of the window left.

Steve Bruce does have a number of potential last minute replacements on stand by, but will push ahead with the signing of Tottenham striker Peter Crouch regardless of Gyan's future at the club.