Sunderland land Austrian-Ghanaian defender Kevin Danso on loan with Premier League obligation

Sunderland have completed the signing of Tottenham Hotspur defender Kevin Danso on loan, with the deal including an obligation to make the transfer permanent if the club retain their Premier League status this season.

The north east side will pay Spurs a £2.5 million loan fee for the Austria international, while a further £22.25 million commitment will be triggered should Sunderland avoid relegation.

If the permanent transfer goes through, Danso will sign a four-year contract with Sunderland, with the option of an additional 12 months.

The move comes after Tottenham head coach Roberto De Zerbi confirmed on Saturday that the 27-year-old was among a number of players who had asked to leave the club before Tuesday’s transfer deadline.

Danso was subsequently left out of Tottenham’s matchday squad for their 2-0 defeat by Newcastle United on Saturday.

Spurs exit follows reduced role

Danso had scored in Tottenham’s 5-1 Carabao Cup second-round win over Charlton Athletic last week, but his opportunities in the Premier League had become limited.

He was an unused substitute in Spurs’ opening-day defeat to Brentford and has slipped further down the defensive pecking order following the summer arrivals of Marcos Senesi and Jan Paul van Hecke.

Despite his reduced role, Danso played an important part in Tottenham’s fight against relegation last season. He started each of the club’s final six matches as Spurs closed the campaign with three victories and two draws to secure their top-flight survival.

In total, Danso made 52 appearances for Tottenham after joining the club from French side RC Lens in February 2025.

From Lens to London and now Sunderland

Danso moved to Tottenham during Ange Postecoglou’s tenure, arriving at a time when the club were dealing with a serious injury crisis.

His primary role was to provide defensive cover for centre-backs Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero, although he eventually became a more regular starter towards the end of last season.

The defender had initially appeared destined for Wolverhampton Wanderers, with a medical reportedly arranged before Tottenham intervened to secure his services.

Before his move to north London, Danso established himself at Lens, making 128 appearances across four seasons after joining the Ligue 1 club from Augsburg in 2021.

He has already featured 14 times in all competitions this season, but the competition for places at Tottenham ultimately opened the door for his departure.

Danso’s career also includes loan spells with Southampton and Bundesliga outfit Fortuna Dusseldorf before his breakthrough at Lens.

Sunderland will now hope his experience at the highest level can strengthen their defence as they battle to maintain their Premier League status and, potentially, turn the loan agreement into a permanent £22.25 million transfer.