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Sunderland sign Arsenal goalkeeper Vito Mannone for £2m

By on July 3, 2013
Sunderland have completed the capture of Vito Mannone from Arsenal on a two-year deal

Sunderland have signed Arsenal goalkeeper Vito Mannone on a two-year deal

Sunderland have completed the £2 million capture of Vito Mannone from Arsenal, with the Italian goalkeeper signing a two-year contract at the Stadium of Light.  Having passed a medical at Sunderland and completed personal terms Wednesday morning, Mannone’s move was confirmed on The Black Cat’s official website.

The 25-year-old only made 15 competitive appearances for Arsenal during his disappointing eight year stay at the Emirates after arriving in London as a 17-year-old from Atalanta in 2006.  Although spending three years at Barnsley and Hull City in promising loan spells, Mannone was often only Arsenal’s third choice goalkeeper.  Still, due to the club’s goalkeeping problems the former Italy Under-21 goalkeeper made eight Champions League appearances for the Gunners, only one of which Arsene Wenger’s side lost.

Sunderland manager Paolo Di Canio was quick to sign Mannone after Simon Mingolet’s £9 million move to Liverpool as he looks to rebuild the English club’s side before the start of the 2013/14 season.  The shot-stopped is Di Canio’s fifth signing so far this summer, and with Di Canio expected to compete a deal with Le Harve for 18-year-old left-back Benjamin Mendy later this week, Sunderland’s summer recruitment recruiting showing no signs of stopping.

Expected to serve as back-up for Keiren Westwood, Mannone spoke of his respect for Sunderland following the completion of the move.

“Of course, every player knows they have competition,” he said via a statement of the Black Cats’ official website.  “We live in a world of competition. I will work and do my best to be in the first eleven, and then the manager will decide.

“All I can do is try to show what I am capable of.

“The potential [of the club] is incredible. I have come from a big club but to be honest, I don’t see any difference in the facilities.

“From what I can see on my first day, they are brilliant. To have good facilities where you can work and improve is something every club wants to achieve.”

About Alex Morgan

Alex Morgan, founder of Football Every Day, lives and breaths football from the West Coast of the United States in California. Aside from founding Football Every Day in January of 2013, Alex has also launched his own journalism career and hopes to help others do the same with FBED. He covers the San Jose Earthquakes as a beat reporter for QuakesTalk.com and his work has also been featured in the BBC's Match of the Day Magazine.