Pierre Ekwah was Sunderland’s first confirmed transfer on deadline day.
The Black Cats have been linked with a number of moves in and out of the club, but have been very slow in making their announcements.
Ekwah has been linked with a loan exit all week though and Sunderland have now confirmed his move to Saint-Etienne for a seven-figure loan fee, with the French outfit claiming the option to buy next summer.
The 22-year-old became a fan favourite when he first moved to Wearside, but his injury in October 2023 led to a dramatic dip in form.
Ekwah has failed to make a single appearance in the Championship this term, and with Sunderland set to sign two new midfielders, he was offloaded in the final hours of deadline day.
Pierre Ekwah shares thoughts to Sunderland fans
Fans formed a nice relationship with the Frenchman during his time at the Stadium of Light, and his recent Instagram story has made it clear that there is no bad blood between the two parties.
After his exit was confirmed, Ekwah wrote on Instagram: “SAFC good luck for this season! ❤️🩶”.
The Frenchman’s form was poor, but he was one of the most likeable
Ekwah massively underperformed last season and fans were definitely fairly pleased when he was replaced in the starting line-up this time round.
However, that doesn’t mean that he wasn’t extremely likeable, with his move away today hard to take.
Most supporters would have really wanted his stay on Wearside to have worked out, given that his arrival led to many expecting him to reach the Premier League.
But his time at Sunderland had hit a standstill and it became very clear that he needed regular football to progress in his career.
It doesn’t necessarily mean it is the end of his time at the club, but if it is, he will most definitely be remembered fondly.
There is no doubting that Saint-Etienne have got a very good player for a club who have only just been promoted to Ligue 1.
There is no doubt that he will impress in his home country and hopefully the Black Cats will have included a sell-on clause if he is to leave permanently next summer.