Sunderland AFC is delighted to announce the signing of Pierre Ekwah.
The midfielder has signed a contract at the Stadium of Light until summer 2027 and moves to Wearside from West Ham United for an undisclosed fee.
From the small village of Avrainville, situated just south of Paris, Ekwah featured for RC Arpajonnais, Bretigny FCS and CFF Paris at youth level.
The 21-year-old also spent three years at the renowned INF Clairefontaine national academy, whose graduates include FIFA World Cup winners Thierry Henry, Blaise Matuidi, Olivier Giroud and Kylian Mbappé, before joining Ligue 1 outfit Nantes in 2017.
Ekwah moved from the Stade de la Beaujoire to Chelsea one year later and spent three years with the Blues prior to crossing the capital and signing for West Ham.
A France Under-20 international, the midfielder has scored nine goals and assisted three times in 39 Under-21 appearances for the Hammers.
Ekwah said: “The history and vision of the Club really attracted me and I’m delighted to be here. I see myself as a number eight who can handle the ball well, but I can also do the defensive side of the game. It’s great to see the Club trusting young players and that’s something that really appealed to me – it seems a great environment for me to develop as both a person and a player, and I can’t wait to get started.”
Tony Mowbray added: “We are delighted to get the deal done and welcome Pierre to Sunderland. He is a player we have been monitoring for some time, and we believe he will add something different to the dynamic of our midfield. Having met him, he has a brilliant personality – he wants to get better and show he can play first-team football. He brings a level of physicality and we’re really looking forward to working with him.”
Ekwah will wear the no.39 shirt and he is expected to be available for selection when Tony Mowbray’s side travel to Fulham on Saturday in the Emirates FA Cup.