Chemsdine Talbi joins Sunderland from Club Brugge on five-year contract

Belgian winger Chemsdine Talbi has become Sunderland’s fifth summer signing, joining the Premier League side from Club Brugge.

The 20-year-old has signed a five-year contract after the clubs agreed a fee understood to be in the region of £19.5million.

Talbi arrived on Wearside on Tuesday and has completed a medical to join fellow new additions Enzo Le Fee, Habib Diarra, Noah Sadiki and Reinildo Mandava as Regis Le Bris prepares for life back in the top flight.

He said: “I’m really excited to be here and grateful for the opportunity to play for this club.

“I made the decision because it’s a great project with a talented, exciting team full of young players – and that really motivated me.

“The Premier League is the biggest and best league in the world, so I’m looking forward to getting started. I know the fans will get behind me from the start, and I can’t wait to see them at the stadium.”

Talbi made 38 appearances for Brugge last season, 11 of them in the Champions League, as the club finished second by a point behind Royale Union Saint-Gilloise – Sadiki’s former side – in the Jupiler League.

Two of his seven goals for the campaign came in a 3-1 play-off victory at Atalanta in Europe on the way to a 6-1 aggregate defeat by Aston Villa in the last 16.

Sporting director Kristjaan Speakman added: “Our momentum and story are powerful, and I think players of Chemsdine’s calibre, who are in high demand, are excited by the prospect of playing for Sunderland AFC.

“It’s a testament to our recent past and immediate future that he feels this we are the right club for his next step.”