GUSTAVO POYET has completed the signing of Dutch defender Patrick van Aanholt and he will join Sunderland in Portugal after progress was finally made on the transfer front.
Van Aanholt was on Wearside today to sign a four-year deal after moving from Chelsea for a fee believed to be around £1.5m.
Poyet and a squad of 20 players landed at Faro airport yesterday ahead of ten days in the Algarve where the Black Cats will play three friendlies.
Sunderland have struggled to strengthen this summer, with the exception of free agents Costel Pantilimon, Billy Jones and Jordi Gomez.
Bids to take Marcos Alonso and Fabio Borini back from from Fiorentina and Liverpool respectively have failed so far, so Poyet has started to look in other areas while they wait on progress.
Van Aanholt, 23, was keen to leave Chelsea after struggling to force his way into Jose Mourinho’s plans and the Dutch left-back will provide the pace Poyet is looking to add down that flank.
Chelsea prefered to sell rather than loan him for the season, although the move does not necessarily mean the end of Poyet’s interest in Alonso. Sunderland are also pursuing Atletico Madrid’s Cristian Rodriguez.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here