Officially Official: Giaccherini Signs On

At risk of repeating every single detail we gave you on Thursday, i.e. the medical was a formality and he'd sign a four year contract, Emanuele Giaccherini has indeed completed a medical and signed a four year contract. Who'd have thought eh?

Giaccherini offered up all the usual bland platitudes upon signing;

I'm really happy, I want do great things for Sunderland. The Premier League is wonderful adventure. Premier is best league in the world. I'm ready, I spoke with Di Canio, he will help me.

Now we've dripped out all our sarcasm, this is actually an immense signing, and a major coup in that we have persuaded an Italian international to leave the current Serie A champions to join the club. The supposed fee of £6.8m makes it even better a deal. Slightly more than what was paid for another supposed goalscorer midfielder, Craig Gardner, to put it into perspective.

Giaccherini will join in with his new teammates immediately on the current training camp in his homeland, and possibly take part in tomorrow's game with Swiss side FC Chiasso.

Bienvenuti A Sunderland!