Sunderland today completed the signing of Swedish International Ola Toivonen on a season-long loan from Stade Rennais. The 29-year-old, capped 43 times by his country, played under Black Cats boss Dick Advocaat at PSV during an impressive five-year spell in the Dutch Eredivisie.
Toivonen was delighted about his move when speaking to the club’s official website, “I’ve played in the Swedish, the Dutch and the French league but I’ve saved the best, so I’m very happy and very excited to play in the Premier League,”
“I play easy football and like to combine with the midfielders, strikers and wingers, but when the crosses come in I always want to be in the box to help the strikers and score goals.”
The Swede becomes the Black Cats’ sixth summer signing but their first since the start of new season, a start in which Sunderland have struggled. Dick Advocaat is eager to bring in more players before the transfer deadline on Tuesday but was reluctant to mention names or a quantity.
“Hopefully we can get one or two more by Tuesday, but I think in midfield we are okay.”
Advocaat was delighted with singing of Toivonen today stating, “I worked with Ola at PSV, so I know him well. He is a national team player with a lot of experience, an attacking midfielder who can score goals and is good in the air – he will bring something different to the team.”
Toivonen could make his debut this weekend as the Black Cats travel to the Midlands to take on Aston Villa in the Barclays Premier League.
