Publications
Partners
Cape Town - Sunderland have announced their first off-season signing with the acquisition of Chelsea centre-back Papy Djilobodji for £8m.
The 27-year-old, who is also comfortable in midfield, spent last season on loan at Werder Bremen after playing just one minute of action for the Blues in 2015.
His time in Germany was much more successful, though, Djilobodji and featured 14 times in the Bundesliga, including a match-winning performance on the final day of the season where his 88th-minute goal secured Bremen's survival from relegation.
The Senegal international has signed a four-year contract at the Stadium of Light, and Black Cats boss David Moyes told the club's official website: "It's hopefully the first of several.
"There is no doubt that the squad is short and we must add to it but in Papy we have added another central defender. He's naturally left-footed and that's what I wanted plus he gives me more competition."
Djilobodji said he intends to bring the smiles back to the faces of the long-suffering Sunderland fans, adding: "I'm so happy to join Sunderland and I believe we can do something this year.
"Sunderland is a big team and a big club with big fans, so we will do our best to give them what they deserve.
"The coach called me yesterday and I was so happy; he said he wanted me to come and work with him at Sunderland and I was delighted."
Moyes' side, meanwhile, ended their pre-season campaign with a hard-fought 1-1 draw with Borussia Dortmund after coming from a goal down to keep their impressive record of not losing any of their six games played.
Nuri Sahin had opened the scoring with 16 minutes at the Cashpoint Arena in Austria before Lamine Kone's second-half equaliser.
