SUNDERLAND have completed their first signing of the January transfer window, with midfielder Pierre Ekwah having made a permanent move from West Ham United.

Ekwah joins the Black Cats for an undisclosed fee, and has signed a long-term contract at the Stadium of Light that runs until the summer of 2027.

The 21-year-old Frenchman leaves the London Stadium without having made a senior appearance for West Ham, and is available to make his Sunderland debut in Saturday’s FA Cup fourth-round game at Fulham.

“The history and vision of the club really attracted me, and I’m delighted to be here,” said Ekwah, who will wear the number 39 shirt as part of Sunderland’s first-team squad. “I see myself as a number eight who can handle the ball well, but I can also do the defensive side of the game.

“Its great to see the club trusting young players and that’s something that really appealed to me – it seems a great environment for me to develop as both a person and a player, and I can’t wait to get started.”

Born in Avrainville, a small village near Paris, Ekwah started his career playing with RC Arpajonnais, Bretigny and CFF Paris at youth level.

He spent three years at the prestigious Clairefontaine national academy, whose graduates include World Cup winners Thierry Henry, Olivier Giroud and Kylian Mbappe, before joining Ligue 1 side Nantes in 2017.

He moved to England to join Chelsea one year later, and went on to spend three years with the Blues before heading across London to sign for West Ham.

A France Under-20 international, the midfielder has scored nine goals and claimed three assists in 39 Under-21 appearances for the Hammers.

“We are delighted to get the deal done and welcome Pierre to Sunderland,” said Black Cats head coach Tony Mowbray. “He is a player we have been monitoring for some time, and we believe he will add something different to the dynamic of our midfield.

“Having met him, he has a brilliant personality – he wants to get better and show he can play first-team football. He brings a level of physicality and we’re really looking forward to working with him.”