Sunderland has confirmed the permanent signing of winger Simon Adingra from Brighton.
The 23-year-old Ivory Coast international has moved for a fee of £21m plus add-ons and has signed a five-year deal at the Stadium of Light.
Adingra joined Brighton from FC Nordsjaelland in 2022, before heading to Belgian club Royale Union Saint-Gilloise on loan for the 2022-23 season.
He made 29 Premier League appearances last season, scoring twice and adding two assists.
“It’s a pleasure to be here, and I cannot wait to get started,” Adingra told the club’s website., external
“The club and the project are really exciting. I spoke with everyone and their interest in me made the decision easy – I wanted to be part of Sunderland’s future.
“Playing in the Premier League has been a dream of mine since I was a kid, so to continue doing that is incredible. It’s a big challenge ahead – we’ll be facing top players and strong opponents – but I’m ready for it.”
Adingra was part of Ivory Coast’s 2023 Africa Cup of Nations win and provided both assists in a 2-1 victory over Nigeria in the final, resulting in being named best young player at the tournament.
The signing is Sunderland’s sixth of the summer as they prepare for their first season back in the Premier League since 2016-17, joining Enzo le Fee, Habib Diarra, Noah Sadiki, Reinildo Mandava, and Chemsdine Talbi
