Sunderland, Hull City summer target set for Chelsea exit with £20m option agreed | OneFootball

Sunderland and Hull City were both linked with a move for the Chelsea player during the summer transfer window

Chelsea forward David Datro Fofana is closing in on a move to AEK Athens after previous links to Hull City and Sunderland.

According to the Independent, the 21-year-old will join the Greek side on loan with an option to buy clause worth £20 million.

Fofana spent the second half of last season on loan with Burnley, where he scored four times from 15 league appearances in the top flight (all stats from Fbref).

However, he has been unable to earn a place in Enzo Maresca’s first-team plans at Chelsea, leading to speculation over his future.

Fofana signed for the Blues in the summer of 2023 in a deal worth £8.4 million from Norwegian side Molde.

Hull and Sunderland transfer target agrees move

It was reported in August by Hull Live that the Tigers were close to agreeing a deal with Chelsea for the Ivorian.

According to Sunderland Nation, the Black Cats were also eyeing a move to sign the youngster on loan for this season.

But Fofana is now closing in on a move to Greece, with the European league’s transfer window still open.

The English transfer period is over, meaning Sunderland and Hull have already missed out on the player’s signature.

The agreement between AEK Athens and Chelsea highlights what kind of offer Sunderland and Hull needed to make in order to sign the forward.

A £20 million option to buy is an unrealistic figure for either side to commit to at this stage, given there is no guarantee they will be able to afford that by 2025.

The Black Cats spent all summer searching for a forward option but were unable to get any permanent options through the door, signing Wilson Isidor on loan from Zenit St Petersburg.

Meanwhile, Hull were able to sign Mason Burstow from Chelsea earlier in the summer, with Chris Bdeia also arriving on loan from Union Berlin.

Sunderland and Hull’s Championship league position

Sunderland have made an electric start to the new Championship season, with Eliezer Mayenda stepping up as the team’s new number nine.

His two goals and two assists have helped the club earn four wins from four, the only club left in the division with a 100 percent record.

It hasn’t been as strong a start to the season for Tim Walter’s side, with the Tigers sitting 19th in the standings, and yet to win any of their opening league fixtures.

Next up for Hull is a home game against Sheffield United on Friday evening, while Sunderland face a trip to Plymouth Argyle on 14 September.

Sunderland and Hull can now move on from Fofana

Sunderland and Hull both missed out on the signing of Fofana before the English transfer window closed, but a January move could’ve still been on the cards.

But that option is now off the table with this impending move to Greece, meaning both clubs can move on to other possible winter market targets.

Fofana did decently for Burnley in the Premier League and would’ve been a solid signing had either club brought him in.