Sunderland has officially signed midfielder Jules Ahoka from Belgian club Royal Antwerp for a fee of 10 million euros (£8.6 million). The 20-year-old, who represents the DR Congo at youth level, has committed to a long-term contract with the Black Cats.

Ahoka's Ambitions

Expressing his enthusiasm for the move, Ahoka stated, "I am very happy and proud to join Sunderland." He acknowledged the club's ambitions and expressed excitement about contributing to their goals. "I want to work hard, learn from my team-mates and the staff, and continue developing as a player," he added. "I will give everything for the club and I cannot wait to get started."

Strategic Signing

Ahoka becomes Sunderland's third signing of the summer transfer window, following the additions of Belgian left-back Thomas Meunier and French right-back Dayann Methalie. Sunderland's director of football, Florent Ghisolfi, commented on the signing, noting, "Jules is a player we have been following closely and he has shown some very encouraging qualities for his age. He has huge potential and we believe Sunderland is the right environment for him to continue his development."

In their recent Premier League opener, Sunderland suffered a 2-1 defeat to Ipswich. They will look to bounce back in their upcoming match against Fulham on Sunday at 14:00 BST.