Sunderland on brink of deals for Pierre Ekwah and Milan Aleksic.

SUNDERLAND are close to agreeing on agreements for two periphery midfielders, Pierre Ekwah and Milan Aleksic, who are both expected to depart the Stadium of Light this summer. Ekwah is likely to join St Etienne on a permanent basis after spending last season on loan at the French club, while Aleksic is about to complete a season-long loan move to Serbian club Partizan Belgrade. When Ekwah left Wearside last summer, a condition for a permanent move was added to his loan agreement, although it was first claimed that St Etienne would be unable to take it up due to their relegation from Ligue 1 last season.

Sunderland got a loan fee of roughly £1 million, with French media suggesting a potential £6 million transfer this summer. St Etienne are unlikely to be able to afford that as an upfront fee following their relegation to the second tier, but with Regis Le Bris adamant that Ekwah has no future at the Stadium of Light, the Black Cats hierarchy are said to be willing to discuss a possible compromise deal. An first round of negotiations has taken place, with St Etienne manager Eirik Horneland adamant about keeping Ekwah in the squad. “I would also like to exercise the option of buying Pierre,” Horneland is believed to have said in the French press.

West Ham United is entitled to a portion of any money as part of the contract that saw Ekwah join Sunderland from the Hammers’ academy ranks in January 2023, but the Black Cats are still expected to make a significant profit for a player who last played a league game for them in May 2024. Aleksic, who joined Sunderland from FC Radnicki last August, has similarly battled to establish himself in the first squad, but the Black Cats are not yet ready to give up on the 19-year-old. Le Bris does not believe Aleksic is ready for Premier League play next season, although Sunderland has received indications of interest in a permanent contract for the teenager, they would rather send him out on loan next season to see how he develops.

Partizan Belgrade have offered Aleksic a route back to his homeland, and a loan deal is understood to be on the brink of being agreed. Partizan are hoping to complete the transfer relatively quickly as their season begins with a Europa League qualifying game against AEK Larnaca on July 10.

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