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Leeds United are to miss out Union SG midfielder Noah Sidiki as he ‘will sign’ for Sunderland amid an agreement being reached.
Both newly promoted clubs have been in the market to strengthen and they have done so, with fresh faces coming through the door.
More are needed though and both were interested in highly rated Union SG midfielder Sidiki.
He helped Union SG to win the Belgian Pro League title last season and it has been expected he could move on.
Now, according to French journalist Santi Aouna, he is and he has chosen Sunderland as his next club.
He ‘will sign’ for the Black Cats for a fee which is around the €17m mark and on a five-year contract.
‘Agreement reached’ is the verdict, with the medical also having been completed and Sadiki, crucially, being convinced about the project put on the table by the Black Cats.
Manager Time at Club
Regis Le Bris July 2024 – present
Michael Beale December 2023 –February 2024
Tony Mowbray August 2022 – December 2023
Alex Neil February 2022 – August 2022
Lee Johnson December 2020 – January 2022
Sunderland have moved quickly and decisively to bring in the promising 20-year-old midfielder and he adds to Habib Diarra, 21, who joined from Strasbourg, in bolstering the engine room.
The Black Cats are betting big on young talent to keep them safe in the Premier League and it remains to be seen if that is the right call.
The deal also sees them move on quickly from the disappointment of losing goalkeeper Marcin Bulka to Saudi Pro League side Neom SC.
Sunderland had a fee agreed for Bulka, but he has gone to Saudi Arabia.
For Leeds, who were keen on Sadiki, the development means that after Diarra, they have now missed out on two midfield targets to Sunderland.
The Whites have signed defenders and a forward, but have yet to land a midfielder and can now cross Sadiki off the list as a possible addition.