Player has spoken! Fofana picks Sunderland and ends the hijack chaos
The wildest tug of war of deadline day has its winner: Malick Fofana has chosen Sunderland, and Crystal Palace's late hijack attempt is dead.
Details: According to Fabrizio Romano, Fofana's agents have informed all parties involved in the saga that the player wants to join Sunderland, and he is now set to sign for the Black Cats as originally planned this morning. Palace had outbid Sunderland's €30 million plus €5 million package and reached their own agreement with Lyon.
It has been a breathless day for the 21 year old Belgian. Arsenal, who had explored a move, decided against matching Lyon's valuation; Sunderland struck a deal worth just under £30 million with a five year contract agreed and a medical completed; then Palace, with Pierre Sage personally calling the winger, tried to steal the deal on better terms. In the end the player's word settled it. Fofana, who rejected Liverpool and Chelsea back in 2025, leaves a Lyon side forced into sales after their Champions League qualifying exit to Fenerbahce, with the club needing to raise around €100 million. His final Ligue 1 campaign was disrupted by injury, 10 appearances, 2 goals and 1 assist, but the season before he produced 11 goals and 6 assists in 41 matches, and he already has 5 caps and a goal for Belgium.
It's worth noting that Sunderland have beaten three different Premier League rivals to his signature across this window, underlining how ambitious the Black Cats' project has become since promotion.
Reminder: Here we go! Sunderland pull off stunning coup for Lyon winger Fofana.
Miguel Solomons
Dailysports's expert
