Ghanaian midfielder Abdul Salis Samed has joined EFL Championship side Sunderland on a one-year loan from French Ligue 1 club RC Lens. Speaking in his first interview as a Sunderland player, Samed emphasized that his decision to join the Black Cats was driven by his desire for progression in his career after a challenging period at Lens.

Samed becomes the fifth Ghanaian to play for Sunderland, following in the footsteps of Asamoah Gyan, John Mensah, Sulley Muntari, and Antoine Semenyo. He highlighted Gyan’s strong connection to the club and expressed his excitement about continuing the legacy of Ghanaians at Sunderland.

“I’m very happy to be here,” Samed said. “I spoke with the Head Coach about the project and how much the supporters love the club, so it seemed like a good place for me to progress. I know the Head Coach from his time at Lorient, and his best friend was my coach at Lens, so they had discussions about me. I’m a competitor and I love the challenge.”

Samed also mentioned his relationship with Gyan, recalling their interactions with the national team. “I met Asamoah Gyan with the national team, and we sometimes talk on the phone. I don’t think he knows I’m here yet, but I’m sure he’ll be happy when he finds out,” Samed added.

The move to Sunderland comes after Samed fell out of favor with Lens head coach Will Still and was relegated to the reserve team. During his two-year stint at Lens, Samed made 72 appearances, scoring once and providing an assist.