Sunderland Eye Move for £30m Roma Attacker to Solve Regis Le Bris' Problem Position

As the summer transfer window rages on, Sunderland have been linked with a move for AS Roma winger Matias Soule, according to Italian reporter Augusto Ciardi.

So far this summer, the transfer business at the Stadium of Light has been centered around departures, with Eliezer Mayenda completing a £22m move to Rennes and the Granit Xhaka to Chelsea saga that has now thankfully been put to bed.

In terms of incomings, Sunderland have been touted with a move for free agent Oscar Mingueza of late, but perhaps the most exciting transfer link thus far for the Black Cats faithful is Roma star Soule. 

The Argentine right-winger was in fine form for the Italian giants last season, scoring seven goals and notching seven assists in 42 games in all competitions for Roma, with his close dribbling ability and technical magic in the final third proving to be an unenviable task for Italian top flight defences to contend with. 

In the summer of 2024, Roma signed Soule from fellow Serie A rivals Juventus for a fee around the £25m mark, seeing the Argentina youth international leave the Old Lady after breaking through from the academy into the first-team. 

Within his two seasons at Roma, Soule has proven to be a consistent contributor in terms of goals and assists, netting 12 and creating 12 goals in 81 outings.

In terms of his position, the 23-year-old is a comfortable operator as both a number ten and right-winger, but played the vast majority of his games for Roma last season just behind the striker, notching three goal contributions in eight Europa League games.

From a Sunderland perspective, it is clear to see why the Black Cats transfer team, led by Director of Football Florent Ghisolfi, is reportedly interested in Soule’s signature this summer.

Earlier in the summer, Sunderland’s end-of-season retained list outlined that the club had chosen not to extend the contract of right-winger Bertrand Traore, leaving Regis Le Bris a number short for the right flank of attack. 

Additionally, with the impressive displays of Sunderland wingers Chemsdine Talbi and Nilson Angulo at left wing for Morocco and Ecuador, respectively, at the World Cup, it would seem that Sunderland are set for options on the left flank of attack, but in need of a right-winger. 

Therefore, Soule is a profile of a player that Sunderland are in desperate need of: a left-footed right-winger who poses a consistent and serious goal threat. 

Interestingly, Black Cats transfer chief Ghisolfi was in a similar role at Roma when he oversaw the signing of Soule from Juventus in 2024, and therefore holds a potential advantage if any other top flight European suitors are plotting a move for the Argentinian starlet.

For Le Bris, the right-wing had been a problem position for the Sunderland boss to solve throughout the course of last season, and the extremely exciting and talented Soule could therefore be the ideal recruit for the Black Cats this summer.

Roma’s asking price for Soule is reported to be around the £30m, which could see the Argentinian become the Black Cats’ new club-record signing if the move materialises. 

However, considering the goalscoring record and chance creation ability of Soule, who at 23-years-of-age has the prime years of his career ahead of him, and how much of an improvement he would be to the current right-wing ranks in Le Bris’ Sunderland squad, he could be worth every penny.