Sunderland today announced the signing of central defender Lamine Koné from FC Lorient for an undisclosed fee. The 26-year-old passed his medical on Wearside and has put pen to paper to sign a four-and-a-half year deal at the Stadium of Light. Koné is Sam Allardyce’s fourth signing so far this transfer window and if reports are true he won’t be the last.
Lorient accepted a bid from the Black Cats just after Christmas with Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce keen to do business as quickly as possible to bolster his side’s chances of escaping relegation. But as the days went by little news came from either party with regards to what stage the transfer was at, but it still looked like a deal was there to be done.
With everyone expecting the deal to be completed in early January, Sam Allardyce and Sunderland unexpectedly pulled out of the deal. Lorient refused to accept that the deal was dead and threatened Sunderland with legal action in an attempt to revive the deal. Several days later reports suggested that Sunderland were once again looking at the player and a deal may still be completed. The days and weeks passed but today Sunderland finally got their man.
The deal was finally completed today and Allardyce is happy to get his man, “Strengthening our defensive options was a priority for us and Lamine is a player that has impressed me when I’ve seen him play. He is big and strong, attributes you need to play in central defence in the Premier League, and his arrival will give us healthy competition for places in a key position.”
Six foot two centre-back Koné began his career at French club LB Chateauroux, playing over seventy games. In 2010 he joined Lorient for a fee of $1million. He has since played over 100 games for them and has also represented France at U17, U18, U19 and U20 levels.
Rumours are flying around Sunderland thick and fast of players coming in and leaving. Sunderland fans will be hoping that any deals made will be the right ones this time and see the club climb the table and away from the dreaded relegation zone.
