Sunderland could be set to sanction another midfielder’s transfer exit
Pierre Ekwah appears to be on his way out of Sunderland permanently, with AS Saint-Etienne confirming their desire to exercise their option to purchase the 23-year-old.
Ekwah joined the Ligue 1 team on loan last season, with the Black Cats receiving an initial seven-figure sum. The deal reportedly includes an option-to-buy clause worth around £6 million, according to French media reports. It was previously believed that AS Saint-Etienne’s relegation to Ligue 2 would knock them out of the contest for the midfielder, but conversations have progressed in the weeks since the season’s finish.
Eirik Horneland, who took over the club in December, has been speaking at the start of preseason and has been quoted in the media as confirming his plan to sign Ekwah.
“I would also like to exercise the option to buy Pierre,” Horneland stated. Horneland has also stated that he wants to resolve the situation as soon as possible.
It remains to be seen whether AS Saint-Etienne activate the clause in full or if a new sum is negotiated, but Ekwah is said to be eager to make the transition permanent, and Sunderland are not standing in his way. The midfielder struggled to break into the first team under Régis Le Bris during pre-season last season and is unlikely to be included in the club’s Premier League roster.
While there is a clear focus on strengthening Sunderland’s team for the Premier League this summer, finding new clubs for a handful of periphery players is a critical priority for sports director Kristjaan Speakman. An early decision on Ekwah’s future would be a welcome step forward and provide another significant financial boost following the club-record sale of Jobe Bellingham to Borussia Dortmund. Sunderland will make a substantial profit if and when Ekwah leaves, but West Ham United will receive a portion of it thanks to a sell-on clause included in the contract that brought him to Wearside in the first place.
Ekwah played 30 games for AS Saint-Etienne last season.
What Kristjaan Speakman has previously said about outgoings this summer
Sunderland’s sporting director, Kristjaan Speakman, revealed earlier this month that several exits were expected this summer.
“When you progress as rapidly as we have, you’re going to end up with players in different categories,” remarked the coach.
“If you have a longer length of time, you will inevitably end up with a bigger number of players in a comparable category, i.e. capable of playing at the highest level of the Championship. Those who are not at that level may go on organically. So we have players in several categories. We have some players whose next challenge will be away from Sunderland, and we still believe they have future potential, so we need to find the ideal loan and get them minutes.”
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