Sunderland are making huge strides in their quest for promotion to the Premier League. And if they manage to pull off the loan signing of Roma’s Enzo Le Fee, it’ll only bolster their promotion credentials this season.
A week into the January transfer window and it looks like Sunderland and Regis Le Bris may be closing in on their first signing. And for Le Bris, it’s a very familiar face who’s being tipped to move to the Stadium of Light.
Roma midfielder Enzo Le Fee is being mentioned alongside the Black Cats right now. Le Fee played under Le Bris for several years at Lorient, leaving for Rennes in 2023 then leaving for Roma in the summer of 2024.
But the 24-year-old Frenchman has managed just six Serie A appearances for his new club. Sunderland want to sign Le Fee on loan and they were handed a boost on Tuesday after it was revealed that Le fee pulled out of a move to Real Betis.
Key Enzo Le Fee detail revealed as Sunderland close in on loan signing
Then on Wednesday, it was revealed that Sunderland are leading the race for Le Fee, in news that has given the whole fanbase a huge lift. Roma forked out £19million for Le Fee just last summer but now he could be heading to the Championship.
Le Fee’s move to Betis was thought to include an obligation to buy for £16.6million. However, Sunderland AFC News sources have revealed that the Black Cats would have the option to buy Le Fee, not an obligation.
We’re also told that Sunderland are ‘confident’ of completing the signing and that Le Bris has ‘convinced the player’ to join, after holding positive talks over a move to the Stadium of Light.
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Where Enzo Le Fee could rank among Sunderland’s most expensive signings
Assuming that Sunderland would have to pay a fee similar to this reported £16.6million should they eventually sign Le Fee permanently, which would no doubt require promotion to the Premier League first of all, it would rank him top of Sunderland’s list of record player signings.
The club’s most expensive signing to date remains that of Didier Ndong, who joined from Lorient for an initial £13.6million in 2016. Le Fee then would surely smash the club’s record transfer should he eventually join the Black Cats on a permanent deal.
Right now though, the deal is not done. There’s still work for Sunderland to do.