West Ham midfielder agrees 4.5-year deal to join Sunderland

Have Sunderland achieved a breakthrough in the transfer window?

Pierre Ekwah is finally on the brink of completing a move to Sunderland from West Ham, with the Frenchman set to sign a long-term deal at the club.

The midfielder has been linked with Sunderland throughout January, but the details have always been a little muddy.

Initial reports claimed he would sign a permanent deal, but journalist Alan Nixon then said it would be a loan move as West Ham still believe he has something to offer.

He then played, and scored, for West Ham under-21s last week to suggest a deal was not close at all.

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However, Sunderland  have now agreed a fee with West Ham and Ekwah will put pen to paper on a 4.5-year deal after a medical.

Ekwah is a versatile midfielder who is also able to drop into central defence, and that extra cover there could allow Sunderland to sanction a move for Bailey Wright, who is wanted by Aberdeen, Hibs and Derby.

#whufc have agreed a fee with #Sunderland for the sale of midfielder Pierre Ekwah.

He has verbally agreed a 4.5 year contract on Weirside, subject to a medical, which is currently ongoing.

Fee undisclosed at this stage.

— Rob Dorsett (@RobDorsettSky) January 23, 2023

Ekwah is also able to cover at left-back, which has been a problem position for Sunderland at times given the injury problems suffered by Dennis Cirkin, Aji Alese and Niall Huggins.

The fee is undisclosed and it is understood to contain a percentage of future sale and buy-back clauses to protect West Ham, which is a similar kind of deal that Sunderland agreed with Tottenham when they signed Cirkin 18 months ago.

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