Report: Sunderland have opened talks to sign £30m star

Report: Sunderland have opened talks to sign £30m star Sunderland Open Matias Soule Talks as £30m Roma Move Signals Major Ambition Sunderland have opened talks over a move for Matias Soule, in what would represent another bold step in an already aggressive summer strategy. According to TeamTalk , the Black Cats are exploring a deal for the Roma attacker, with the 23-year-old emerging as a serious target as preparations continue for a season featuring both Premier League and European football. The report states that Sunderland have made an “ambitious move to sign Roma forward Matias Soule”, with Florent Ghisolfi heavily involved. That detail matters. Ghisolfi knows the player well, having signed Soule for Roma from Juventus in 2024, and that existing relationship could prove useful if negotiations accelerate. There is also encouragement from the player side. It is understood that “initial contact has been made”, while “Soule’s representatives indicating the versatile attacker would welcome the opportunity to test himself in the Premier League.” For a club trying to establish itself quickly at a higher level, those are the sort of signals that can turn interest into a genuine pursuit. Roma’s position appears relatively clear too. The Italian side are said to be open to doing business, with “Roma are prepared to sanction Soule’s departure this summer” and a valuation “in the region of £30million (€35m / $40m).” For Sunderland, that is a meaningful fee, yet one that reflects the profile of the player and the market they are increasingly operating in. Soule’s appeal is obvious. He is “Capable of operating anywhere across the front line” and is seen internally as someone who could “significantly strengthen Regis Le Bris’s squad ahead of a demanding season.” Versatility, age profile and upside all align with the model Sunderland have tried to build, albeit now with a sharper edge and greater expectation attached. Sunderland transfer plans gather pace The broader context is important. Sunderland are reshaping the squad while protecting key assets. The sale of Simon Adingra is progressing, and “they have already banked a significant fee following Eliezer Mayenda’s move to Rennes.” That creates room for investment, though the club are described as remaining alert to “UEFA and Premier League financial regulations” as they structure business carefully. Photo: IMAGO There is no sense of drift. The message coming through is that Sunderland “remain determined to strengthen rather than stand still after last season’s success.” Their stance over Granit Xhaka and Noah Sadiki underlines that approach, and attention has now shifted firmly towards adding decisive attacking quality. Matias Soule fits Sunderland recruitment model Soule appears to tick several boxes at once. He is young, productive and already trusted by the man leading recruitment. TeamTalk adds that he is viewed as a player capable of making “an immediate impact” while also fitting “Sunderland’s long-term recruitment strategy”. If that proves accurate, this is more than a passing enquiry. It is a move that would speak loudly about where Sunderland believe they are heading. Our View As a Sunderland supporter, this is exactly the kind of report that gets the excitement building. If the club are genuinely in for a player like Matias Soule, then it shows Sunderland are thinking big and refusing to treat this next campaign as something to simply survive. A £30m move for a 23-year-old Argentina international with top-level experience would be a huge statement. The most exciting part is the profile. Soule is not being discussed as a stop-gap or a squad filler. He sounds like someone who can lift the level straight away and still improve. When you read that he is “Capable of operating anywhere across the front line”, you immediately start thinking about how much unpredictability he could give this side. That sort of flexibility is priceless across a long domestic and European season. It is also encouraging that the recruitment feels connected. Ghisolfi knows the player, knows the market and seems to have a clear reason for targeting him. That gives supporters confidence this is not just a name pulled from a list. It feels deliberate, thought through and ambitious. Of course, a lot can change in a transfer, especially at this level of fee. But if Sunderland can pull this off, fans will see it as another sign that the club are building for more than survival. It would say Sunderland are back, serious and ready to compete with belief.