English Championship leaders Sunderland have announced the signing of Ghanaian midfielder Salis Abdul Samed on a season-long loan from French Ligue 1 club RC Lens.

Abdul Samed, a Black Stars regular, expressed his excitement about joining the Black Cats and contributing to their goal of returning to the English Premier League.

“I’m very happy to be here,” Abdul Samed said. “I spoke with the Head Coach about the project and how the supporters love the Club, so it seemed like a good place for me to progress.”

He also mentioned his previous connections with Sunderland’s Head Coach, stating, “I know the Head Coach well from his time at Lorient, and his best friend was my coach at RC Lens, so they had some discussions about me.”

Reflecting on the team's current form, Abdul Samed noted, “To win four games in a row is very difficult, but four games is not enough and we need to continue to work hard and get more wins.

I’m a competitor and I love the competition for places — we work as a team and move forward together.”

Unfortunately, Abdul Samed will miss Ghana's upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers against Angola and Niger due to fitness concerns.