Emmanuel Eboue may have only completed his move to Sunderland yesterday but the defender knows he is in for a tough ride and has conceded it will be “difficult” to help keep his new club in the Premier League.
However, after dreaming of returning to the Premier League, Eboue has thanked Sam Allardyce and declared he is “ready” to “play and fight hard” to make a “good team and squad happier”. With some of Eboue’s previous antics, he’ll certainly light up the dressing room.
The Ivorian has been training with Sunderland since early February following his release from Turkish side Galatasaray in the summer and signed on a short-term contract until the end of the season.
Sunderland are currently out of the relegation zone, one point above fellow relegation candidates Newcastle and Norwich.
Eboue defiant
And Eboue is determined to keep Sunderland in the top tier. He said, “I don’t want the club to go down to the second division."
The Ivorian admitted his aim to to "try [his] best" with the team and "maintain" their Premier League status.
The right-back is desperate to start in the fierce Tyne-Wear derby next week, “We’ll see when I play, but I’m ready. I hope my first game is against Newcastle but it depends on the coach.”
Happy to be back in England
Eboue has made 76 appearances for his country and is perhaps most known for his spell at Arsenal, where he played for seven years.
The continued, “When I came here for the first time it felt like I’d been here already so I’m very happy to sign for the club."
The defender admitted he was "dreaming and thinking" about the league he was in Turkey, added that he "thank[s] God" that he had returned and the club about "took [him] in like a son".
He added, “I also thank the manager who has given me a second chance, so I hope I can give my best for the club and also for him."
The Ivorian also explained, “I’ve trained with the team for almost one month and, as I said, from my first day I’ve felt very good.”
Experienced players are key
Eboue is no stranger to the Sunderland side and the familiar faces will help the defender settle quickly.
He feels "it is like a family" in the North East, sighting "Jermain Defoe, John O’Shea and Catts (Lee Cattermole), as well as the French players" to be players he is familiar with already.
Eboue concluded, “It is going to be difficult as we’re at the bottom, so we will fight hard to move up the table.”