KRISTJAAN Speakman believes Leon Dajaku's move to Hajduk Split is a deal that suits everyone involved, with the winger telling of his delight at the switch.

The 22-year-old, who wasn't part of Tony Mowbray's first team plans at the Stadium of Light, completed his move to the SuperSport HNL outfit on Monday night. He spent the second half of last season on loan at St Gallen but the Swiss side opted against pursuing a permanent move - allowing Hajduk Split to strike, to the delight of the winger.

He said: "It's great to be here, a great first impression of the club and the city. I am a young player with a lot of fire in me, who loves football and playing for big clubs.

"I started playing in Germany, the first big steps were in Stuttgart and Bayern, then I went to England where I played for Sunderland. All this helped me to gain experience, sometimes it was better, sometimes worse, but now I am much more mature after going through the mentioned clubs.

"I have a lot of friends in Croatia, I know a lot about Hajduk, its fans, and I'm really happy to be here."

Dajaku joined Sunderland two years ago and played 22 times in his first campaign, helping the Black Cats win promotion to the Championship. He made 10 Championship appearances last season but only two were starts and with game-time hard to come by, he was allowed out on loan in January.

After the winger's exit was confirmed, sporting director Speakman said: “Leon played his part during our promotion-winning campaign and we thank him for his contribution over the past two seasons.

"The club has progressed rapidly throughout his time at the Stadium of Light, meaning that opportunities have become increasingly limited within a senior environment. This move represents the best outcome for the club and player, as it will provide Leon with the right challenge to continue his development.”