Sunderland boss David Moyes has confirmed that his side have turned down an opening bid from Crystal Palace for Patrick van Aanholt.

The Netherlands international is a top target for manager Sam Allardyce, who is keen on bolstering his defensive options in the transfer window.

The Black Cats are currently in a tight situation with regards to their finances, but Moyes iterates that this won't lure them to offload their key players.

"I want to keep all my good players and build. Van Aanholt is a really important player for us. He's done very well," he told reporters.

Van Aanholt joined the Black Cats from Chelsea in the summer of 2014 and has since racked close to 100 appearances in all competitions.

He is currently valued at around £15m, and nothing less than this sum will tempt Sunderland into a sale.