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£8.65M Defender Makes Bold Claim on Sunderland and West Ham Transfer Links

Originally posted on Sunderland on SI
By Marisa Alcantar | Last updated Sep 15, 2025 3:00 AM ET

A transfer target of Sunderland and West Ham United has made a bold claim after the rumors that linked him with a move to the Premier League during the summer.

Sunderland had a historic summer market after closing more than 10 signings with the goal of building a sufficiently competitive squad for their return to the Premier League.

The Black Cats have generally started their return to the top tier of English football well, but in any case, they could not close all the signings they attempted a few weeks ago.

An interview with one of the targets of the team managed by Regis Le Bris recently came to light, where he spoke about the interest there was in him during the Summer Transfer Window.

Charlie Cresswell makes bold claim on Sunderland and West Ham transfer links

In statements to La Dépêche, Charlie Cresswell admitted being aware of the interest from different European clubs in signing him this summer.

That's the life of a footballer during the transfer window... I've heard about this interest, which came from several places in Europe.Charlie Cresswell

Cresswell, 23, was linked to both Sunderland and West Ham United after having an impressive season in Ligue 1 defending the colors of Toulouse.

Cresswell arrived in French football after Leeds United received a fee of £3.89 million for his transfer in 2024. His current market value is €10 million according to Transfermarkt. That is, approximately £8.65 million.

The defender did not delve much into the specific interest of one club or another and said that such is simply the life of a footballer during transfer windows. He also sent a message to the fans of his current club by stating that they did not need to convince him to stay.

I don't want to go into detail about what happened during the transfer window, but I can tell you that I didn't need any convincing to stay. I had a great season, I met some great people, both at the club and outside.Charlie Cresswell

Although Sunderland could not sign the Englishman, it was able to ensure the arrivals of Omar Alderete, Reinildo, Arthur Masuaku, and Nordi Mukiele, who can occupy the position of central defense, as well as Daniel Ballard.

This article first appeared on Sunderland on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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