Official | Isaac Lihadji moves to Sunderland from Lille | OneFootball

Championship side Sunderland AFC have announced the signing of 20-year-old Isaac Lihadji from LOSC Lille, for an undisclosed fee. The deal, subject to international clearance, will see the young Frenchman move to Tyne and Wear on a two-and-a-half year contract, with an option to extend for a further year.

Sunderland, most recently in the Premier League in the 2016/17 season, have had a torrid few years in the English Football League. After relegation from the top flight, they were relegated again the following year. Until last season’s play-off final, which they won 2-0 against Wycombe Wanderers, they played their football in League One. Now back in the Championship, the Black Cats will not want to wait much longer before a return to the first division.

Acquiring the services of Lihadji will do those hopes no harm: he had a goal and four assists across 13 appearances made in the 2020/21 Ligue 1 season, in which Lille produced a shock title win over serial winners Paris-Saint-Germain. At 20 years old, he has failed to appear in a single league fixture for Les Dogues in the current season: he now looks to the North East of England for a chance to shine again.

GFFN | Brendan Cox