CONFIRMED: Graham Signs For Sunderland

After a little bit of stress earlier today on the subject with Middlesborough making a bid and having it accepted, Danny Graham is now 110% a Sunderland player.

The North East native has signed a three-and-a-half year deal at the Stadium Of Light, and will be available to face Reading on Saturday at the Madjeski Stadium.

Obviously the move comes on the back of some vocal criticism from some sections of the support, however Graham has shown tremendous courage to sign, and it's something he addressed in speaking to the club's official website;

As soon as I heard about the interest from Sunderland I didn't even have to consider any of the other options that were on the table.

I was born and brought up in the north east so I know first-hand the intense passion that people have for their football in this part of the world - it's special and there's nowhere else like it.

Of course, I totally understand that some fans might need convincing about my commitment to Sunderland because of my roots, but I've always given 100% no matter what team I play for and no matter who I play against.

It's up to me to show people I deserve to wear the Sunderland shirt and I'm excited about playing for a club as big as this.

I'm really excited about the future - this is a new phase of my career and I can't wait to get started.

We're very much looking forward to seeing Graham in action. A little known fact is that he actually scored more goals than Steven Fletcher last season in all competitions, so he should provide some excellent depth to the position.

Whether or not any further additions come through the doors today remains to be seen, but either way it appears our biggest business of the day has been done.

Fee Agreed For Graham, Today's Only Deal?

According to the local press Danny Graham will definitely be a Sunderland player by the end of the day today, with the Sunderland Echo going as far as claiming a fee has been agreed and he will undergo a medical today.

There's not expected to be any hitches to the deal according to the paper, meaning those that booed him so vehemently on Tuesday have failed in their task and will be likely considering their position on him.

Curiously they also suggest that this will be our only deal done today, while Sky Sports's David Craig who's parked himself outside the Stadium Of Light suggests it's a case of "Something old, new and borrowed" at the Academy Of Light today.

On previous form you'd probably back the Echo here, but we can still hopeful or more as there's sure to be a million and one more transfer stories coming out today.

The fee agreed for Graham is reportedly in the region of £5.5m, without Connor Wickham being used as a makeweight in the deal which was suggested yesterday. Straight up, cash-money deal.

Graham will be a solid addition to the squad, and at 27-years old still has plenty of football left in him, and time to sway some ill-informed opinions.

Combine this with Norwich City looking at every other striker barring Graham after showing some interest a few days ago, you can almost take the signing of Graham to the bank.

Follow all the action from Deadline Day HERE in our Live Blog.

Sunderland Running Unopposed For Graham

It would seem that Danny Graham is ours for the taking early today on Deadline Day after Norwich -- our main opponents for his signature -- appear to be looking at options elsewhere.

Having already added Sporting Kansas City striker Kei Kamara subject to international clearances, numerous reports suggest the East Anglian side have had a third bid rejected for Celtic striker Gary Hooper, and are also trying to make a deal for Leeds United striker Luciano Becchio.

If they manage to add one of this pair it would appear that any interest in Graham would soon come to an end, if indeed it hasn't ended already through the signing of Kamara.

Graham is seemingly our player for the taking if we can make a deal, but work needs to be done on meeting his asking price with Swansea City, and of course we have to hope that some of the numbskulls who decided to chant that he was 'scum' the other night haven't put off a player who like it or not, would very much improve our striking options.

Follow all today's transfer tittle-tattle in our Deadline Day Live Blog, HERE.

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