Sunderland AFC is delighted to welcome centre back Danny Batth to the Stadium of Light.
The 31-year-old has put pen to paper on an 18-month deal on Wearside, joining from Sky Bet Championship side Stoke City on a free transfer.
A three-time promotion winner, Batth has made 13 appearances for the Potters during the current campaign, including a string of nine successive league starts between November and January.
The 6’3” defender has spent the majority of his career playing in England’s second tier, making 260 appearances in the Championship and 117 in League One.
Batth earned his first promotion from the third tier in 2012 with Sheffield Wednesday and he repeated the feat in 2014, captaining Wolverhampton Wanderers throughout their journey from League One to the Premier League.
He was named in the League One Team of the Season and the PFA Team of the Year in 2014, and his performances continued to receive recognition in 2021 when he was named Stoke’s Player of the Month for November.
The defender spent time on loan with Colchester United as a youngster and he represented Middlesbrough during the 2018-19 season, with a move to the Potteries coming to fruition in 2019.
Batth made 107 appearances at the Bet365 Stadium, including 101 starts, and he will be available for selection when Sunderland face Portsmouth at the Stadium of Light on Saturday.
The defender said: “I’m very happy that this deal is done because this is a juggernaut of a football club and I’m delighted to be a part of its journey. This is the perfect set-up for me. I’m really looking forward to playing in front of the home supporters and I’ve already spoken to the Head Coach, who has tried to sign me in the past. When the opportunity arose, I thought it would be the perfect option to crack on and do well.”
Lee Johnson added: “Danny is a player that I’ve tried to sign a couple of times before, so it’s third time lucky. We have some good characters already in place at the football club and you are always looking to nurture leadership qualities, but Danny’s come ready-made. A dominant centre back, he has a great personality and I think he will have really positive effect on and off the pitch.”