JOHN Mensah has suggested Sulley Muntari might be wasted as a defensive midfielder as Sunderland wait to see the best of their January arrival.

The loan signing of Muntari from Inter Milan represented a major coup for the Black Cats, but he has failed to have the expected impact so far on Wearside. The 26-year-old, who won the European Cup with Inter last season, as well as the Serie A title, was hauled off in the second-half of the 2-0 defeat at Everton and appears to be finding it difficult to re-adapt to the pace of English football.

Muntari was at Portsmouth earlier in his career, but left two years ago and first-team football hard to come by in Italy before getting the return to the Premier League he wanted.

That helps explain why he has struggled to find his best form, although Mensah also feels he would be better off used in a more attacking role.

With Lee Cattermole still out with a back problem, Muntari has played as a defensive midfielder under manager Steve Bruce, a position that he does not fulfil for his national side in which Mensah is a team-mate.

Mensah said: “Sulley likes goalscoring, but maybe that’s not the kind of game the manager wants in these matches. The Sulley I know in the national team normally plays on the left wing. He gets forward, comes back to defend, and sometimes gets in front of the attackers. I believe he can do that for Sunderland too if the manager wants him to.

“I’m happy to see Sulley here because he’s a player who won the European Cup with Inter Milan and he can have a big impact on this team. I believe he’s going to do well for Sunderland, but we must all work together as a team.

“I believe Sulley can play in all the midfield positions because he has a powerful left-foot shot and he can score and defend, he can play on the left wing. He can move everywhere and come back to defend.” Black Cats defender Mensah is also pleased to see another African at the Stadium of Light and is impressed by what he has seen of Stephane Sessegnon.