Ajax close in on Simon Adingra after Sunderland give winger green light

Simon Adingra has travelled to Amsterdam for a medical as Ajax move closer to completing a season-long loan for the Sunderland winger.

Sunderland have approved the transfer, with only the medical examination appearing capable of preventing the deal from being completed. Adingra is expected to take over from Mika Godts at the Johan Cruijff ArenA.

The Ivory Coast international is also travelling to the Dutch capital, where Thilo Kehrer is due to undergo his own medical. Ajax are hoping to finalise the agreement for Adingra well before the Netherlands transfer deadline, which closes on Wednesday at 23:59.

The initial agreement between Ajax and Sunderland is verbal and still has to be formally set down in writing by the clubs’ lawyers. However, Sunderland have given Adingra permission to fly to Amsterdam, according to De Telegraaf.

“Bien que l’accord verbal de principe entre l’Ajax et Sunderland doive encore etre formalise par ecrit par les avocats, le club de Premier League a donne son feu vert a l’ailier gauche pour qu’il prenne l’avion”, wrote the newspaper.

Ajax have negotiated an option to buy Adingra at the end of the loan. The clause is understood to be worth about €16m (£13.5m), while the Dutch club will pay Sunderland €3.8m for the forward’s loan for the 2026-27 season.

The move would give Ajax a player who helped Ivory Coast win the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations. Adingra was also attracting interest from a number of Premier League clubs, as well as AS Roma and RB Leipzig, but Ajax have moved ahead of that competition.

His medical is therefore the next significant step in a deal that is expected to be completed before the transfer window shuts. The agreement would initially bring Adingra to Amsterdam on loan, with Ajax retaining the option to make the move permanent for the reported €16m fee.

The winger’s arrival is being pursued alongside Kehrer’s move, with both players scheduled to complete medical checks in Amsterdam. Sunderland’s approval has allowed the negotiations over Adingra to progress, although the legal documentation between the clubs remains outstanding.

Adingra’s proposed switch follows his success with Ivory Coast in 2024, when the national team won the Africa Cup of Nations. The Premier League club’s decision to let him travel means the transfer is now at an advanced stage, with the medical and written confirmation of the verbal agreement still required before Ajax can officially conclude the deal.