Confirmed: Sunderland sign Irish central defender Jimmy Dunne on loan from Burnley!

Sunderland have completed their first signing of the January transfer window after signing Burnley defender Jimmy Dunne on a loan deal until the end of the season.

The 21-year-old central defender recently returned to Burnley after a highly successful loan spell with Hearts and will now link up with the rest of the Sunderland squad ahead of Saturday’s home game against Luton Town - Dunne will wear the number 30 shirt.

The right-footed centre-half featured 14 times for Hearts this season, scoring two goals, before suffering an ankle injury in late November. He has now recovered from that injury and featured for Burnley under-23s on Monday.

Speaking to SAFC.com, Dunne said:

I’m very excited to be here. I’m looking to step up and keep developing my game, so this is a good place for me to do that.

The lads here have been on a good run and I’ve been lucky to be in a team where we’ve been winning as well, so long may both continue.

I didn’t have anything to think about, there were 46,000 people here on Boxing Day and that just grabs you.

It’s a massive club and it was a no-brainer for me.