# Sunderland pip Crystal Palace in battle of the private jets to land Malick Fofana

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/sunderland-pip-crystal-palace-in-battle-of-the-private-jets-to-land-malick-fofana/
- Published: 2026-09-01T22:15:29+00:00
- Updated: 2026-09-01T23:09:24+00:00
- Original publisher: The Guardian (publisher lean: Left)
- Original article: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/sep/01/sunderland-pip-crystal-palace-in-battle-of-the-private-jets-to-land-malick-fofana
- Topics: Europe, Sport, World

## Key points

- Sunderland beat Crystal Palace to sign Lyon's Malick Fofana for £31m
- Both clubs sent private jets to Lyon amid a late bidding war
- Owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus intervened personally to secure the club-record deal

## Summary

Sunderland won a dramatic deadline-day tussle with Crystal Palace to sign Lyon winger Malick Fofana in a club-record £31m deal. The 21-year-old Belgium international appeared set for Sunderland on Tuesday morning, but Palace manager Pierre Sage, who previously coached Fofana at Lyon, launched a late attempt to lure him to Selhurst Park, prompting a fresh bidding war between the two clubs.

With both clubs flying private jets to Lyon and Fofana undergoing a medical jointly commissioned by both teams, the saga was resolved after Sunderland owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus travelled to France to speak with the player directly. Fofana, who scored 11 goals in 59 appearances since joining Lyon from Gent in 2024, ultimately committed to a five-year contract at the Stadium of Light shortly after 9pm, with the fee rising from an initial £26m to £31m via add-ons, surpassing the £30m paid for Habib Diarra as Sunderland's new record signing.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.