Sunderland signs Bayern Munich's Jan Kirchhoff

Sunderland has snapped up Jan Kirchhoff from Bayern Munich for an undisclosed fee, with the defender putting pen to paper on a one-and-a-half year contract.

(Courtesy: @SunderlandAFC)

Bayern confirmed Wednesday that Kirchhoff remained in Germany while the rest of the team travelled to Qatar as he continued negotiations with an unnamed club over a move.

"Jan has a very good pedigree and even though he is still relatively young he has experience of football at the highest level, including the UEFA Champions League," Sunderland gaffer Sam Allardyce told the club website.

At 6-foot-5, 25-year-old Kirchhoff is an imposing figure that Sunderland will hope helps stymie the deluge of goals it's conceded this term. No team has let in more than the Black Cats' 39 in the Premier League.

"He has real versatility as a player, being comfortable in both the centre-back and midfield roles," Allardyce continued. "He is desperately keen to experience the Premier League and our job now is to do everything we can to help him settle and adapt quickly to life in English football, so he can have a positive impact on our squad."

Kirchhoff has been limited to just one substitute appearance all season, and when he gets his first start for his new club, it will be his first since May during a loan spell at FC Schalke 04.