Ajax Amsterdam have completed the signing of Ivory Coast winger Simon Adingra from Sunderland on a season-long loan, with an option to buy included in the agreement between the two clubs.
The Dutch club formally announced the move on Wednesday, adding another attacking option to its squad. Adingra will spend the upcoming season with Ajax, where he will have the opportunity to return to a league he already knows.
The transfer comes as Sunderland restructure their attacking department. The English club needed to create space in that area of the squad after finalising the signing of Malick Fofana, paving the way for Adingra to continue his career in the Netherlands.
At 24, Adingra arrives at Ajax with significant experience and an established international profile. The winger is an Ivory Coast international and is valued at €22m by Transfermarkt. His loan spell in Amsterdam could provide him with the chance to rebuild his momentum and make a strong enough impression to persuade Ajax to activate the purchase option at the end of the season.
Adingra’s move also represents a return to familiar surroundings. Having previously played in the Netherlands, he will not be adapting to the country or its footballing environment for the first time. Ajax will hope that his knowledge of the league, combined with his experience at international level, can strengthen their attacking options.
The agreement also follows a period in which Adingra had been earning €2,130,952 a year in England. That figure is equivalent to 1,385,118,800 FCFA.
Sunderland are due to play their third league match of the English season against Brentford shortly. The betting company 1xBet lists Sunderland at odds of 5.50 to win, while a draw is priced at 4.20 and a Brentford victory at 1.55. The company also provides an option to download its betting service.
For Ajax, the deal offers a season-long assessment of a player whose market value remains substantial. For Sunderland, it allows the club to reorganise its forward line while retaining the possibility of Adingra returning or completing a permanent move, depending on the terms of the option included in the loan agreement.
Adingra’s immediate task will be to establish himself in Ajax’s attack and use his campaign in the Netherlands to revive his progress. Ajax, meanwhile, will have the season to determine whether the winger can become a permanent part of their squad.