The January window closes at 11pm on Monday, around an hour after Sunderland’s game at the Riverside will likely finish. The Black Cats still have some business to conclude, with their search for another forward player ongoing and a number of fringe players potentially departing to try and get more regular game time.

After leaving parent club Manchester City, the ex- Celtic loanee signed for Lyon on a four-year contract back in 2018 for a transfer fee of around €10million including €3.5million in incentives, which works out at around £11.3million. After his stint in France, the defender moved to Shabab Al Ahli, and then Al Fateh in the Saudi Pro League.