Sunderland has struck a second deal with Eredivisie giants Ajax, completing the signing of Burkinabé winger Bertrand Traore. The 29-year-old joins the Black Cats on a one-year contract for a reported fee of €2.5 million, with an additional €500,000 in potential bonuses.
The deal for Traore follows the earlier acquisition of Ajax striker Brian Brobbey, who joined Sunderland for a base fee of €20 million. This marks a significant investment by Sunderland into their squad and a busy transfer deadline day.
Traore, who previously played for Chelsea and Aston Villa, expressed his happiness at returning to England. “I’m really happy to join Sunderland. It’s a huge Club, and for me, it feels great to be back in the Premier League,” he stated on the Sunderland website. He also noted that his familiarity with the league and his existing relationships with players like Simon Adingra and fellow new signing Brian Brobbey will help him settle in quickly.
The 78-time Burkinabé international had a relatively short stint at Ajax, where he played 49 games and scored 10 goals after joining as a free agent in 2024. His time this season was cut short by an injury in the season opener against Telstar, and Ajax was keen to sell him as his contract was set to expire at the end of the season. The funds from the sale of Traore, along with Brobbey, will be used by Ajax to complete a move for Anderlecht striker Kasper Dolberg, who is their top target to replace Brobbey.
