Dan’s the man as Wearsiders sign up Ballard
SUNDERLAND have completed the signing of defender Daniel Ballard - the Arsenal man becoming the Black Cats’ first new face of the summer.
Ballard was on Wearside this week to undergo a medical and finalise his move.
The Northern Ireland international had been linked with the Wearsiders over the summer but had looked destined to join Burnley instead, new boss Vincent Kompany keen to bring him to Turf Moor as the Clarets look to return to the Premier League at the first attempt.
While he travelled to Burnley for a medical, Ballard’s switch to the Lancashire club broke down over the weekend over personal terms and, as the Chronicle revealed earlier this week, Sunderland immediately moved in and led the race to sign the 22-year-old.
There was also interest from Championship clubs Millwall and QPR, while he is also understood to have had potential suitors in Europe - but the Black Cats have bagged their man.
Stevenage-born Ballard joined Arsenal’s academy at the age of eight and while he did not make an appearance for the Gunners he made his senior debut in August 2019 during a loan spell with League Two Swindon Town.
He went on to spend eight months on loan at Blackpool, playing 25 games and scoring two goals as the Tangerines secured promotion from League One via the play-offs in 2021, when he was a teammate of Sunderland’s Elliot Embleton, also on loan at Bloomfield Road.
He spent last season on loan in the Championship with Millwall, making 31 league appearances and scoring one goal.
Ballard played for Northern Ireland at under-18 and under-21 levels before making his full debut against Romania in a Nations League game in September 2020.
He has won 15 senior caps in total, scoring two goals, and has played alongside Sunderland duo Corry Evans and Trai Hume at international level.
Ballard becomes Sunderland’s first genuine close-season addition, although they have also converted the loan deal which saw Union Berlin winger Leon Dajaku arrive on Wearside last summer into a permanent transfer.
Midfielder Patrick Roberts, versatile academy graduate Lynden Gooch, and Australia international centre-back Bailey Wright have signed new contracts following the expiry of their previous deals.
However, there is still much to do as sporting director Kristjaan Speakman works to reinforce Alex Neil’s squad following promotion. The squad is weaker at this stage than it was at the end of last season, with seven senior players having departed either because they were released at the end of their contracts or because they were on loan last season and have now returned to their parent clubs.
The squad not only needs to be brought up to strength numerically, it will also require upgrading if the club is to avoid struggling after stepping up to the second tier.
FORMER Sunderland forward Aiden O’Brien has joined League One Shrewsbury Town.
The Republic of Ireland international has signed a two-year contract with the Shrews.
The 28-year-old spent 18 months on Wearside before joining Portsmouth on a short-term deal on deadline day in the January transfer window.
O’Brien was brought to Sunderland by Phil Parkinson in the summer of 2020.