IMAGO / Every Second Media

Sunderland Fails to Sign French International, Suffering Transfer Blow

Originally posted on Sunderland on SI
By Oscar Daniel Cortes Rincon | Last updated Jan 7, 2026 9:25 PM ET

The matchday was not positive for Sunderland, facing a painful defeat against Brentford in the 21st round of the Premier League, where they expected to keep adding points in the standings, but were beaten 3-0 at the Gtech Community Stadium.

The team led by Regis Le Bris was not able to find themselves in the match, having a difficult game, without their key players standing out, and with a defensive line that, after the level they had been showing, did not perform well.

The day was also impacted by news from the transfer window, where it was confirmed that Sunderland lost a signing of strong interest in the market.

Mateo Guendouzi Will Become a Fenerbahce Player, Closing the Door on Sunderland

Confirmed by journalist Fabrizio Romano , Matteo Guendouzi will be a new Fenerbahçe player in a €29 million deal with Lazio, leaving Sunderland with a bitter taste after they attempted to sign the Frenchman.

The agreement is already verbal and is expected to be confirmed soon by both clubs. The 26-year-old will continue his career competing with the Turkish side. Despite having proposals from several Premier League teams and other leagues, he chose to join Fenerbahce in an unexpected move.

Mattéo Guendouzi to Fenerbahçe, here we go! Verbal agreement in place for €29m package, add-ons included.

Paperwork being drafted between clubs in order to give final green light and sign this week.

Guendouzi already agreed terms, as @yagosabuncuoglu reports. pic.twitter.com/WTG2GEutz1
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 7, 2026

Sunderland were attracted by the role of the French midfielder as a possible addition in midfield alongside Granit Xhaka, considering Guendouzi's experience playing in France, Italy, and England with Arsenal, but he opted for a new project in Turkey.

This situation pushes Sunderland to continue evaluating the transfer window for a potential player with experience and youth for their project, as Regis Le Bris has made it clear that his work with the Black Cats aims to place them among the top teams in the Premier League.

The investment made at the start of the season launched a project that has been reflected on the pitch, and in this new transfer window, the club is expected to keep strengthening the squad. Missing out on Mateo Guendouzi opens the door to pursuing another European talent.

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

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