Enzo Le Fee is the talk of Sunderland right now. The Black Cats are looking increasingly likely to pull off an ambitious loan swoop for the £19m Roma star during this January transfer window.
Just a couple of days ago, few Sunderland fans, if any, would’ve known who Enzo Le Fee was. Now though, he’s very much the hot topic at the club with Sunderland working on a loan deal for Le Fee at Roma.
Claudio Ranieri’s side paid Rennes £19million for him during the summer. But Le Fee has managed just six Serie A appearances since and now seems poised to head out on loan before the January transfer window slams shut.
Le Fee has already pulled out of a move to Real Betis, before it was then revealed that Le Fee had held positive talks with Sunderland and Regis Le Bris, whom he played under for several years at Lorient previously.
Sunderland AFC News first revealed that Sunderland will have an option to buy Le Fee. Previously, Betis had an option to buy Le Fee for £16.6million before he pulled the plug on his move to Spain.
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Keith Downie reveals Enzo Le Fee to Sunderland latest
Posting on X, journalist Keith Downie has now revealed that Sunderland still remain the leading club in the race to sign Le Fee. There was worries emerging after it was revealed that Lille are interested in Le Fee, who was previously thought to prefer a return to France in January.
Downie also reveals that Seville are ‘also keen’ whilst Betis remain in the hunt. Downie then confirms that Sunderland would have the option to buy Le Fee, but that the Black Cats and Roma are yet to agree on a free for the player.
The Sky Sports journalist posted: “Sunderland are in talks with Roma over the potential signing of midfielder Enzo Le Fée. Told that currently #SAFC lead the way, with Real Betis & Sevilla also keen.
“Talks centre around a loan-with-option to make permanent. Roma paid Rennes £19m for the 24-year-old last summer but he’s struggled for game time. Le Fée worked under Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris at Lorient. (A fee yet to be agreed for Le Fee).
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Sunderland given green light for another midfield signing
Despite Sunderland boasting a strong midfield department as it is, there’s another midfielder on the club’s radar as well as Le Fee: Harvey Vale.
He’s been strongly linked with a move to the Stadium of Light and the most recent reports state that Chelsea will sell Vale for £0, but they want to include sell-ons in any potential deal.
That could mean Sunderland sign two new midfielders in Le Fee and Vale during the January window, without initially paying a penny for either of them.