Sunderland readying five-year deal for Fiorentina defender Eddy Kouadio | OneFootball

The Black Cats look prepared to place a lot of faith in the Italian youth international.

Sunderland are reportedly ready to hand a five-year contract to Fiorentina youth prospect Eddy Kouadio.

That’s according to Africafoot, who claim that the Championship outfit are weighing up a move for the young 18-year-old defender.

He’s yet to make an appearance for the Italian outfit’s senior side, but has been impressing for their youth team, Fiorentina Primavera.

It’s believed by Africafoot that any agreement will see Kouadio offered a five-year contract by Sunderland.

Agreement yet to be made over Eddy Kouadio’s five-year deal

That the Italian youth international defender, who is also eligible to represent the Ivory Coast, is in the frame for a five-year deal, which shows how confident the Black Cats are in his abilities.

The report goes on to confirm that an official offer from Sunderland is yet to arrive with Fiorentina, but discussions are ongoing.

It’s also stated that the Black Cats want to conclude negotiations before the end of the season.

Local outlet, The Sunderland Echo, have stated that the value of any potential transfer fee remains unclear.

Kouadio would add to Sunderland’s defensive numbers

The 18-year-old has appeared 29 times for La Viola’s academy side this season, scoring one goal and providing an assist (as of Monday, 24 March)

But it’s his contributions at the other end of the pitch that are the main focus of attention, with Kouadio splitting his time between centre-back and right-back throughout this campaign.

He still awaits his senior debut for Fiorentina, but has been included on the first-team’s bench against The New Saints in the UEFA Conference League, and against Monza in Serie A.

It’s unclear what seniority Kouadio would enter the Stadium of Light with at this stage, but given the established names in Sunderland’s defensive unit and Kouadio’s relative inexperience, it seems likely a spell of some description with the Championship side’s academy setup would be the best course of action to take as he adjusts to a new team in a new country should he make the move.

Sunderland are developing a strong track record with youth players

Kouadio is already in a great place in his young career, appearing regularly in the youth team and beginning to float around the senior setup, so that a move to Sunderland is even on the cards in those circumstances is a strong show of faith in the club’s development of youth players.

But it’s unsurprising that they’ve gained such a reputation, based on just this season alone.

Teenagers Chris Rigg and Jobe Bellingham are two of the standout young names for the Black Cats, with both already being linked with big-money Premier League moves after being given the chance to play crucial roles in Sunderland’s first-team this season.

But they’re joined by plenty of other youngsters with extremely high potential under Regis Le Bris; the likes of captain Dan Neil, full-back Trai Hume, winger Romaine Mundle and first-choice goalkeeper Anthony Patterson to name just a few, all of whom are aged 24 or under.

They’ve marketed themselves extremely well as a club where promising youth players will be given a chance to shine in senior football, and that reputation looks to already be paying dividends, given the club are in the frame to poach one of Fiorentina’s most promising youth products in Kouadio.