English football club Sunderland has tied Cote d’Ivoire’s defender Lamine Kone down its ranks for longer after he signed a new five-year deal.
The 27-year-old was a continued target for other top Premier League clubs, but Sunderland were desperate to keep him, and have now fended off any interests with the new lengthy deal.
Everton were particularly keen to acquire his services before the closure of the transfer window, but they failed and were forced to go after Swansea’s Ashely Williams.
Sunderland signed Kone from Ligue 1 side Lorient in January.
“Lamine is an important player for this club and I made that clear to him from the outset,” Sunderland manager David Moyes said.
“He only been playing in the Premier League since January, but in that time we have already seen what he is capable of,” he added.
