Ballard has signed a three-year deal at the Stadium of Light, with a club option of a further year, after making 31 Championship appearances on loan at Millwall last season.
The 22-year-old became the Black Cats second signing of the summer, after Leon Dajaku’s move from Union Berlin was made permanent due to a clause being triggered in his loan deal.
Making the step up to the Championship will be challenging, though, with many teams operating with bigger budgets and some having the advantage of Premier League parachute payments.
Here are all the signings that have been made by Championship clubs so far this summer:
Making the step up to the Championship will be challenging, though, with many teams operating with bigger budgets and some having the advantage of Premier League parachute payments.
17. Rotherham
IN: Conor Washington (free, Charlton), Tom Eaves (free, Hull), Peter Kioso (undisclosed, Luton), Cohen Brammall (undisclosed, Lincoln) | OUT: Jake Cooper (released), Jacob Gratton (released), Freddie Ladapo (Ipswich), Angus MacDonald (released), Joe Mattock (Harrogate), Mickel Miller (released), Alfie Burnett (Forest Green), Michael Ihiekwe (Sheffield Wednesday), Michael Smith (Sheffield Wednesday) Photo: Alex Livesey
19. Stoke
IN: Aden Flint (free, Cardiff), Harry Clarke (loan, Arsenal), Josh Laurent (free, Reading), Liam McCarron (undisclosed, Leeds), Gavin Kilkenny (loan, Bournemouth) | OUT: Tommy Smith (released), James Chester (released), Steven Fletcher (released), Tom Ince (Reading), Mario Vrancic (loan, Rijeka), Alfie Doughty (Luton), Christian Norton (released), Tashan Oakley-Boothe (loan, Lincoln), Douglas James-Taylor (lona, Walsall) Photo: Nathan Stirk