Sunderland look to have shockingly beaten Crystal Palace to the signing of Malick Fofana in an unfathomable deadline day saga.
The Malick Fofana to Sunderland transfer saga has taken yet another unexpected turn on deadline day, with the Lyon winger now reportedly destined for a medical with the Black Cats in France.
Earlier on deadline day, it emerged that Sunderland were set to sign Fofana from Lyon for a £30m package deal after Premier League champions Arsenal walked away from negotiations with the Ligue 1 giants.
With Fofana then seemingly set to join the Stadium of Light project, news broke that their Premier League rivals Crystal Palace were plotting a late hijack of the deal, with the London outfit offering improved terms to Lyon.
Now, after the player agreed with Sunderland and then switched to Crystal Palace, the ball now appears back in the Black Cats’ court, with Fofana reportedly set to end up coming to the Stadium of Light in yet another deadline day transfer twist.
Foot Mercato reporter Santi Aouna has outlined that Sunderland are trying to re-hijack the deal with an increase on Palace’s financial package.
Journalist Romain Molina added that Sunderland have promised a more attractive financial commission to Fofana’s agents, Roc Nation, with one of those being his uncle, and also indicated that Sunderland owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus is said to be overseeing the winger’s imminent Black Cats medical personally.
Reporter Sacha Tavolieri noted that the Black Cats have ultimately outbid Palace, concluding that “money talks”, and it seems that the motivations behind Sunderland winning the transfer race are predominantly financial.
Lyon's Malick Fofana in action against Le Havre on Saturday (REUTERS)Therefore, it appears that despite Fofana choosing to reunite with his former Lyon boss Sierre Page at Selhurst Park, that Sunderland’s late financial play will see the 21-year-old ultimately go to the North East outfit in one of the most dramatic deadline day saga’s in recent Premier League memory.
Now, it remains to be seen whether Palace will better Sunderland’s offer for Fofana for the second time on transfer deadline day, or that the saga will conclude with the Black Cats financially outmuscling the Eagles and swooping to secure the Lyon starlet’s signature at last.
Clearly, as this sage illustrates, nothing is guaranteed in the world of football transfers until official confirmation from the respective club, meaning that the Sunderland faithful will be eagerly refreshing their social media channels as the clock runs out on the summer transfer window.
Sunderland To Sign Dodi Lukebakio And Kevin Danso Amid Fofana Saga
As well as Fofana, Sunderland also have a private jet booked for Benfica forward Dodi Lukebakio, who is also set to join the Stadium of Light outfit.
Following the news that Palace seemed set to hijack the Fofana deal, reports emerged that Sunderland were in discussions with Benfica regarding Lukebakio as the Black Cats look to reinforce their wide attacking ranks.
At the same time as the Fofana negotiation, Sunderland are also in talks to sign Spurs defender Kevin Danso on a season-long loan deal with an option to buy next year, and those three are now poised to become new Black Cats signings before the window closes at 11pm.
