Adingra Joins Sunderland in £20.5m Transfer from Brighton

Sunderland have signed Ivory Coast winger, Simon Adingra from Brighton & Hove Albion in a £20.5m transfer.

Adingra had enjoyed two competitive seasons at Brighton in which he contributed 12 goals and five assists in 73 appearances for the Seagulls, although he didn’t start in nine of their last 16 matches in all competitions in the second half of the campaign.

Brighton consequently accepted a £20.5m bid for the 23-year-old, which consisted of a £18m fixed fee plus a further £2.5m in add-ons as Adingra signed a five-year contract on Wearside until June 2030.

Upon confirmation of his move, Adingra explained that he is excited to move to the Black Cats following discussions with the club.

“It’s a pleasure to be here, and I cannot wait to get started. The Club and the project are really exciting. I spoke with everyone and their interest in me made the decision easy – I wanted to be part of Sunderland’s future.

“Playing in the Premier League has been a dream of mine since I was a kid, so to continue doing that is incredible. It’s a big challenge ahead – we’ll be facing top players and strong opponents – but I’m ready for it.”

Sporting Director, Kristjaan Speakman added that the club had held a “long-standing interest” in Adingra and is delighted to complete the transfer.

“He’s a quick and direct wide player, who can play on both sides and travels with the ball at speed. He’s got significant Premier League experience, which is important for us as a newly promoted team, and due to our recent connection with him, he already has a strong understanding of Sunderland AFC and our journey.”

Adingra began his senior career with Denmark’s Nordsjælland where he managed 12 goals in 40 appearances following his debut in a 2-2 draw against Copenhagen in April 2021.

His performances persuaded Brighton to sign him in June 2022 but he instead spent the 2022-23 season loaned out to Belgium’s Union Saint-Gilloise, where he delivered 15 goals in 51 appearances as the Belgian club reached the Quarter-Finals of that season’s UEFA Europa League.

Adingra’s final goal for Brighton came on 30 December 2024 away to Aston Villa as he opened the scoring in an entertaining 2-2 draw at Villa Park.

Brighton manager, Fabian Hurzeler explained that the decision to allow Adingra to join Sunderland was purely to allow him to play regular football.

“I have enjoyed working with Simon and he’s made a significant contribution during his time with the club.

“However, he is at a stage in his career where he wants to be playing regularly. Given the competition we have in the wide positions that’s not something we could guarantee.

“This move to Sunderland gives him that opportunity, so on behalf of everyone, I’d like to thank Simon for his efforts and wish him well for the future.”