Sunderland set to complete £11.5m transfer

Published August 1, 2025 at 8:10 am

Written by Aryann Gupta

Sunderland are closing in on another transfer this summer, and a new figure in between the sticks could be joining the squad soon.

Reputable sources at The Athletic reveal that the Black Cats could be nearing the transfer of Eredivisie goalkeeper Robin Roefs.

The Dutchman is highly rated, and the signing of the 22-year-old would cost the Stadium of Light side a fee in the region of £11.5 million with performance-related add-ons included. Here is what the Essential Football knows about this transfer story –

Transfer details of Robin Roefs

Sunderland are close to securing his services, with the player scheduled to undergo a medical this week prior to the official announcement from the club.

A £9.5 million transfer fee has been agreed upon with an additional £2 million in add-on payments.

A 5-year contract is expected to be signed, seeing Roefs directly slot in between the sticks as the first choice Sunderland goalkeeper.

A brief history of the Dutchman

Robin Roefs plays for NEC Nijmegen in the Dutch league. The goalie first garnered attention on the European stage with his standout performances at the recently concluded U-21 European Championship.

The shot-stopper was pivotal in taking the Dutch side to the semi-finals where they lost to England – the eventual winners of the competition.

The goalie has come up through the ranks at NEC Nijmegen and was key to the team maintaining the best defensive record across the Dutch league. In 32 league appearances for the Dutch side last season, Roefs managed 10 clean sheets.

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Even more impressive was Roefs’ staggering shot save percentage of 79.2%. Even more mesmerising were his leaps in the air as he claimed 52 high balls – only eclipsed by 4 goalkeepers across Europe’s top 5 leagues, including David Raya and Emiliano Martinez.

The Black Cats have completed a deal for former Arsenal captain, Granit Xhaka and are also linked with Chelsea striker Marc Guiu. The duo of Xhaka and Roefs will soon join the other new signings this summer in Enzo Le Fee, Habib Diarra, Noah Sadiki, Chemsdine Talbi, Simon Adingra and Reinildo Mandava at the Stadium of Light.