Sunderland Compete With Crystal Palace, Bournemouth to Sign Ex-Manchester City Defender

SportItalia's Gianluigi Longari has reported that Sunderland are interested in signing Angeliño from AS Roma, both Crystal Palace and Bournemouth also have shown interest in the Spanish fullback, however are not willing to offer more than €12 million.

The new sporting director of AS Roma, Frederic Massara, has rejected offers from Crystal Palace and Bournemouth of €12 million, indicating they want a fee closer to €20 million.

Angeliño is currently valued at €20 milllion, according to Transfermarkt. He joined AS Roma on a permanent deal in July 2024 for a fee of €5.4 million after being on loan from Leipzig since January 2024, and now, after a few good seasons, his value has risen.

After joining AS Roma, Angeliño has become a key cog in the Roma squad over the past two seasons, playing 51 games in the 2024/25 season for AS Roma.

When playing for Roma, Angeliño brings an attacking mindset to his position, often making overlapping runs and creating width. For Sunderland, this would work well, helping Angeliño link up with previous teammate Enzo Le Fee.

A main reason this transfer is a real possibility is because of Sunderland's alleged new director of football, Florent Ghisolfi, who left his role as AS Roma's sporting director last week.

The relationship between Florent Ghisolfi and AS Roma will be essential in facilitating the signing of Angeliño. Additionally, the opportunity for Angeliño to play alongside Enzo Le Fee may influence the Spaniard's decision to join the Black Cats this summer.

The likelihood of signing Angeliño is, in my opinion, solely based on the price tag AS Roma ask for the fullback; €20 million is their current asking price.

This fee seems to be more than most clubs are willing to pay, including Sunderland, especially when the Black Cats' new transfer model is based on buying for smaller fees with a main focus on resellability, for example, ex-Sunderland player Jobe Bellingham and Jack Clarke, both leaving for more than they joined.

However, Angeliño being valued so high whilst also being 28 years old, it seems highly unlikely this would be a signing made for future profits. With that being said, signing older proven players is something Sunderland is lacking, and increased spending is what is required for Premier League safety, something the Lads are desperate to achieve.

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