Younes Kaboul has signed a four year contract Sunderland following five years in North London with Tottenham Hotspur.

In an undisclosed deal thought to have been worth around £4 million, Kaboul joins up with former Tottenham teammate Jermain Defoe as Dick Advocaat continues to add quality and experience to his side.

Kaboul, who has five French caps to his name, joins Dutch international winger Jermain Lens in moving to the Stadium of Light as Sunderland look to improve on their 16th place finish in the 2014-15 Premier League campaign.

Having struggled for much of the season, Advocaat managed to eventually pull Sunderland to safety, ensuring at least another season in England’s top division.

Kaboul will compete with experienced Premier League veterans Wes Brown, 35, and John O’Shea, 34, tasked with improving on the 53 goals Sunderland conceded in their most recent league campaign, as well as new signings Adam Matthews and Sebastian Coates.

Early transfers

The Frenchman, still only 29 years of age, joined Tottenham from Ligue 1 side Auxerre in July 2007 for a fee believed to have been £8 million. Playing under Advocaat’s fellow countryman Martin Jol, Kaboul made 21 appearances for the North London side, scoring three goals.

However, just one year after signing for Spurs, Kaboul moved to Portsmouth in August 2008 for an undisclosed fee. It was with the south coast side where Kaboul established himself as one of the most consistent and versatile defenders in the Premier League, making 39 appearances until departing in January 2010.

Tottenham boss at the time, Harry Redknapp, who decided to take Kaboul to Portsmouth back in 2008, paid an undisclosed fee to bring the French centre back to White Hart Lane once again.

Since returning to Tottenham, Kaboul has gone on to make 111 appearances, as well as playing an important role in the UEFA Champions League campaign of 2010-11, the first and only time Tottenham have made it into the competition.

Lack of opportunities at White Hart Lane

Current Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino made Kaboul captain early into his tenure in the summer of 2014 as he looked to build his defence around the strong centre back, who can also operate at right back.

However, Kaboul struggled with form and injury, making just seven league appearances all season. Having lost his place in the national side as well as his club, the writing looked on the wall for Kaboul as Pochettino looked to strengthen his defence in the off-season.

Tottenham have already signed Kevin Wimmer and Toby Alderweireld, from FC Koln and Atletico Madrid respectively, as Kaboul’s opportunities in the first team look even scarcer.

Sunderland will be hoping Kaboul still has a number of years in him against some of Europe’s elite players as they strive for a more comfortable, safe, season.

Big Game Player

Despite recognising it is perhaps time for Kaboul to move on, Tottenham fans will always have a soft spot for the Frenchman following a number of highly impressive performances in some of the most important matches in recent years.

Playing at right back, Kaboul set up Peter Crouch to score the winner away at Manchester City as Tottenham clinched Champions League qualification in May 2010.

Just six months later, in November, Kaboul scored a late winner as Tottenham won the North London derby away at Arsenal for the first time in 17 years. And this success at the Emirates continued in one of Kaboul’s few appearances for Spurs in their 1-1 draw against Arsenal in September 2014 – a match in which the defender was man of the match.

An "honour" to join Sunderland

Speaking about the move to Sunderland's website, Kaboul said he is “delighted to be a Sunderland player” before going on to mention how he "can’t wait to start playing for the Sunderland supporters.”

The delight in the signing was echoed by Advocaat, known as the ‘little general’, who expressed his satisfaction at how “[Kaboul] will be a very good addition to [Sunderland's] squad.”

Future French international?

In a season which culminates with France hosting the 2016 European Championships, Kaboul will be hoping to feature heavily in a successful season for the Black Cats as he makes himself known to France manager Didier Deschamps.