Sunderland have finally concluded a deal for Granit Xhaka, but they are far from done this summer with notable additions.
Up next, it looks as if Robin Roefs will join the building from NEC Nijmegen as the Black Cats’ brand new goalkeeper for the Premier League, having kept a promising ten clean sheets in Eredivisie action last season.
From that point on, it’s anybody’s guess as to who will be following the Dutchman in through the door, as the rumour mill continues to be active on Wearside.
Sunderland agree deal to sign new striker
Regis Le Bris and Co could well be diving straight back into the options at their disposal at Bayer Leverkusen, with Amine Adli a name that keeps popping up from the German giants.
Reports suggest that the Black Cats, West Ham United, and Wolverhampton Wanderers are all locked into a race to try and snap up the Moroccan winger, who is valued around the £26m price range.
Elsewhere, meanwhile, it was reported by Sky Sports’ Keith Downie that Sunderland had opened talks to snap up Chelsea hotshot Marc Guiu on a loan deal, having approached the 19-year-old who has previously been linked with Leeds United.
Fabrizio Romano has since followed that up by revealing that a deal has been agreed for the youngster, with Guiu set to join on a temporary move, with no option to buy for the Black Cats.
The Spanish teenager is yet to get up and running in the Premier League with the Blues, but it’s clear that he is seen as a gem for the future, with Danny Welbeck once viewed in the same light when he arrived to the Stadium of Light in 2010, only then to get his top-flight career off the ground on Wearside.
Why Guiu could be Sunderland’s new Welbeck
Heading into his formative stint with the Black Cats, Welbeck only had three senior strikes to shout about, having been previously loaned out to Preston North End in the Championship away from parent side Manchester United.
Guiu can boast double that amount for Enzo Maresca’s men already, but it’s clear that he needs more consistent minutes in the top-flight, away from wreaking havoc in the much-maligned Conference League.
Sunderland could now be willing to give him that opportunity, much like when they extended their hand out to a far more raw Welbeck 15 years ago.
The now well-established 34-year-old would first make a name for himself donning Sunderland red and white, with the ex-Black Cats number 17 even getting in on the goalscoring act during his solitary season with the club, when downing Chelsea 3-0 in a surprise away win.
In total, Welbeck would bag a promising six strikes from 26 games before then going on to become a first-teamer at Old Trafford, with the Premier League veteran now up to 77 goals in the testing division when featuring for the likes of Arsenal, Watford, and Brighton and Hove Albion, away from the Red Devils and the Stadium of Light.
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Guiu’s overall numbers for Chelsea |
|
|---|---|
|
Stat |
Guiu |
|
Games played |
16 |
|
Games started |
4 |
|
Minutes played |
588 |
|
Goals scored |
6 |
|
Assists |
0 |
|
Stats by Sofascore |
|
Welbeck’s heroics for Sunderland would help them to secure a comfortable tenth-place finish in the final top-flight standings, with Guiu hopeful he can be that same spark that makes survival a breeze, having already made quite an impression on the Stamford Bridge masses from limited starts.
Indeed, despite making just four starts overall for Maresca’s side, the ex-Barcelona youth product has a blistering six strikes next to his name, leading to Guiu being dubbed a “nightmare” to come up against by football talent scout Jacek Kulig.
Further showing off his ice-cold finishing ability on the international stage with Spain when powering home 11 goals for the U17s and U19s, on top of even having two senior Barca strikes next to his name, it’s no shock that one of his former youth coaches, Jose Lana, has stated that Guiu can “score goals from nowhere.”
It might be a tall order for Guiu to instantly break into the first-team fold, however.
But when he is unleashed into the action, the 19-year-old will surely be eager to make an impact, knowing full well that an electric loan stint on Wearside could finally kickstart his Premier League journey in style.
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