Sunderland agree €36m deal for Malick Fofana after beating Crystal Palace | OneFootball

Sunderland have agreed a €36m deal to sign Lyon winger Malick Fofana, beating Crystal Palace to his signature. After completing a medical, the Belgium international will sign a five-year contract running to 2031.

According to The Athletic, Palace moved to hijack the transfer after both clubs struck agreements with the French side, with the 21-year-old weighing up offers. Sunderland will pay €30m up front plus €6m in add-ons.

Palace manager Pierre Sage, who coached Fofana between 2023 and 2025 at Lyon, was viewed as pivotal in their late push. Arsenal also weighed up a move and Fofana held talks with Mikel Arteta, while Chelsea and Everton explored deals last summer.

Fofana joined Lyon in January 2024 after emerging from Genk’s academy, where he registered five goals and 10 assists in 64 first-team games. He has one goal in five senior caps for Belgium, having featured across their youth levels.

For Lyon, he has 19 goals and eight assists in 84 appearances. An ankle injury curtailed last season to 16 outings, but he has already scored two in six matches this term.

Sunderland have taken three points from a possible six to start the Premier League season and visit Brentford at the G-Tech Community Stadium on Saturday. Palace, beaten in both league games so far, travel to Fulham on Saturday.

Source: NY Times

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”