With the summer window looming, several Sunderland stars have suitors across the top flight, and goalkeeper Robin Roefs is the latest to become the subject of lofty interest.
Sunderland spent upwards of £150m in the pre-season transfer window upon their return to the Premier League, bringing some supreme talent to the Stadium of Light in the process.
Former Arsenal and Bayer Leverkusen figurehead Granit Xhaka, the ever-energetic Noah Sadiki and ex-Ajax number nine Brian Brobbey have all made monumental impacts in their respective maiden campaigns for the Black Cats.
Another outstanding acquisition from the Sunderland hierarchy last summer has been Dutch goalkeeper Robin Roefs, who has cemented himself as one of the best young shot-stoppers in the top flight since arriving from Eredivisie outfit NEC Nijmegen in an £11.5m deal.
Following the 23-year-old’s breakout campaign, the Black Cats are braced for extensive interest in his services between the sticks this summer, and one Premier League side has been named as a keen suitor.
Spurs target transfer swoop for Sunderland goalkeeper Roefs
According to journalist Pete O’Rourke, Tottenham are ‘eyeing a move’ for Sunderland’s Roefs, if Roberto De Zerbi’s relegation-threatened side stave off a shock demotion to the Championship.
Spurs’ interest in the Dutch international is unsurprising after his stellar season as Sunderland’s first-choice goalkeeper, with Roefs keeping nine clean sheets in his 32 Premier League outings, two more than opposite number Guglielmo Vicario.
Although Roefs made a high-profile error in Sunderland’s shocking 5-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest late last month, the goalkeeper has emerged as one of the safest pairs of hands in the top flight.
The Tottenham transfer team saw first-hand the vast qualities that Roefs possesses in De Zerbi’s debut game as Spurs, which saw Sunderland secure a resounding 1-0 win at the Stadium of Light, thanks in no small part to the Dutchman.
Nordi Mukiele opened the scoring on the hour-mark with a deflected long-range strike, but the spoils could well have been shared if not for Roefs, courtesy of his seven total saves which earned him the player-of-the-match award.
Regis Le Bris’ side have defied expectations this Premier League season by contending for Europe when many wrote the Black Cats off as relegation fodder before the campaign kicked off back in August, with summer signing Roefs imperative to their survival and subsequent success.
Sunderland must do best to retain Roefs
Therefore, the Black Cats hierarchy must do their best to stave off summer transfer interest in their superlative shot-stopper.
With instant demotion never on the cards for Sunderland this season, the logical aim for the Wearside outfit next term will be continuing to consolidate and look towards mounting a more concrete charge for European football.
If Le Bris’ side are to do so, then adding more quality in the ilk of Roefs will be imperative this summer, but equally retaining their prized assets will be just as important for their prospects for finishing in the coveted spots for Europe.
Sunderland have unearthed a true gem in the Dutch goalkeeper, with his performances in the Premier League this term even more impressive when contextualised by the fact that this season is just Roefs’ second in professional football.
His outstanding cross-claiming, box presence and shot-stopping will inevitably see Roefs’ name on goalkeeping shortlists across Europe’s elite outfits.
He has already proven himself imperative to the Black Cats’ fortunes, and if those are to continue next term, it is crucial that the club retain their highly-coveted starlet as Roefs’ stock and qualities simultaneously rise.