Sunderland completed the signing of Lyon winger Malick Fofana on Deadline Day after Crystal Palace made a late attempt to hijack the deal.
The Black Cats had reached an agreement with Lyon on Tuesday morning, but the transfer was placed in doubt when Palace, managed by Fofana’s former manager Pierre Sage, moved to try to secure the 21-year-old.
Lyon subsequently agreed terms with both Premier League clubs. Fofana completed a medical in France, with both Sunderland and Palace able to access the results, before deciding to join Sunderland.
The deal is reported to be worth up to £30.8m (€35.9m), comprising an initial £25.7m fee and a further £5.1m in add-ons. Fofana has signed a “long-term contract” with Sunderland.
He joined Lyon from Gent in January 2024 and made 84 appearances for the French club in all competitions, scoring 19 goals and providing two assists.
Fofana had already found the net twice in six appearances for Lyon this season. One of those goals came in Champions League qualifying.
Sunderland Director of Football Florent Ghisolfi said the club believed Fofana had the qualities needed to succeed in English football.
“Malick has all the attributes to thrive in the Premier League.
“He is a player with huge potential, and Sunderland will provide him with the right environment to continue to develop and prosper.
“He operates off the left and will complement the versatility of the other wide men we have at the club, who can play across both flanks.
“We are delighted to welcome Malick to the club and look forward to supporting him as he takes the next steps in his career.”
Sunderland also confirmed a late deal for Juan Riquelme Angulo from Independiente. The youngster is reported to have joined for £5m and is said to have agreed a five-year contract.
Although Palace missed out on Fofana, they added two players on the final day of the transfer window.
Dario Osorio has moved to Selhurst Park from Midtjylland on a season-long loan. Palace have the option to buy the Chilean at the end of the campaign.
Osorio spent four years with the Danish club after joining in August 2023. During that time, he made 119 appearances in all competitions and scored 25 goals.
Palace have also re-signed Ben Chilwell on a permanent transfer. The defender previously spent the second half of the 2024-25 season on loan at Selhurst Park from Chelsea.
Chilwell helped Palace win the FA Cup during that spell before moving to Strasbourg. He made 34 appearances in total across one season with the French club before returning to Palace.
“It’s amazing to be back,” he said. “It’s nice to see some familiar faces, and I’m just really excited to get back in, see the boys and the fans – and get going again.”
Strasbourg made a signing of their own, bringing in forward Conrad Harder on a season-long loan from RB Leipzig for the 2026-27 campaign.
