Sunderland AFC have completed the signing of Forest Green Rovers captain Carl Winchester.
The midfielder arrives at the Stadium of Light for an undisclosed fee, penning an initial two-and-a-half-year deal with the Lads.
Born in Belfast, Winchester started his career with Linfield before signing for Oldham Athletic in 2010 and making over 100 league appearance for the Latics.
He also played under Head Coach Lee Johnson during his time at Boundary Park, which came to end in 2017 when he joined Cheltenham Town.
After 18 months with the Robins, the 27-year-old joined rivals Forest Green Rovers and went on to feature over 100 times for the Sky Bet League Two side.
A natural leader, Winchester captained both Cheltenham Town and FGR throughout his time representing the respective Gloucestershire-based outfits.
After putting pen to paper, the midfielder said: “It’s a massive club and once I heard about the interest, there was only one place I wanted to come. I’ll give my all for the team and I’ll go out there and wear my heart on my sleeve. The Head Coach believes in me and I believe in myself. I’m coming into my prime, so I’m hoping I can settle in well with the lads and kick on from there.”
Head Coach Johnson added: “After assessing our squad and establishing the profile of midfielder we wanted to bring in, we evaluated all the elements, inclusive of the data, and felt that Carl was the right player to add to our squad. He is a good player who is in the prime of his career, and his versatility means he can play in a number of positions, ensuring he will also bring depth to our squad. When he was a young player at Oldham, every top club wanted him, which shows the potential he has always had. He has represented some good clubs, but in terms of division, we believe he has been playing below his natural level.”