Malick Fofana finds himself at the centre of one of the most dramatic transfer sagas of the summer window after both Crystal Palace and Sunderland agreed separate deals to sign the Lyon winger on Deadline Day.

Sky Sports News understands the 20-year-old was at Lyon airport on Tuesday afternoon with two private jets ready — one bound for London, the other for Sunderland — as he weighed his options in real time.

How Sunderland's deal unravelled

Sunderland had been the frontrunners. The Black Cats agreed a deal worth up to £30m with Lyon — a £25.7m fixed fee plus £4.3m in add-ons — and had a five-year contract ready for Fofana. Lyon granted him permission to travel for a medical, and the move appeared done.

Before arriving at that point, Sunderland had explored several alternatives. The club made an offer for Brazilian winger Igor Paixao, which Marseille rejected, and talks over Jack Grealish stalled after it emerged the Manchester City player was in discussions with Everton and preferred to remain in the north west. That sequence of events pushed Sunderland toward Fofana as their primary target.

Arsenal had also registered interest in the Belgian winger, adding pressure on all sides.

Palace's late move changes everything

The situation shifted dramatically when Crystal Palace entered the picture. With Fofana yet to undergo his medical at Sunderland — despite reports suggesting otherwise — Palace opened direct talks with the player and then secured their own club-to-club agreement with Lyon.

Palace are pressing ahead with the formalities of the transfer, but the Black Cats have not been left entirely in the cold: sources suggest Sunderland's deal remains alive, giving Fofana the final say over his destination.

To insure themselves against losing the race, Sunderland are exploring a separate move for Dodi Lukebakio, with talks ongoing with Benfica. Their preference, however, is to await Fofana's decision before committing to an alternative.

What began as a straightforward signing for Sunderland has become one of the most captivating transfer stories of the entire Deadline Day, with Fofana holding the power to decide where he plays his football next season.