Sunderland Pursue Roma Forward Matias Soule

Sunderland are not easing themselves back into Europe. They are kicking the door down.

The club have opened talks to sign Roma forward Matias Soule, with the Argentina international emerging as one of Florent Ghisolfi’s headline targets for a summer that could reshape the squad on Wearside.

Ghisolfi goes back to a trusted talent

Ghisolfi knows exactly what he is chasing. He was the man who took Soule to Roma from Juventus in 2024 during his spell as sporting director in the Italian capital. Now, in charge of Sunderland’s recruitment after an already lauded Premier League window last year, he is trying to bring the 23-year-old to the Stadium of Light.

Initial contact has been made. Soule’s representatives have indicated the versatile attacker is open to testing himself in the Premier League, a stance that has encouraged Sunderland to push on with negotiations rather than simply sounding out the possibility.

Roma, for their part, are ready to do business. The Serie A club are prepared to sanction Soule’s departure this summer and are expected to seek a fee in the region of £30million (€35m / $40m).

A forward for the present and the project

Soule’s appeal to Sunderland runs deeper than his price tag or profile. He can operate anywhere across the front line and is viewed inside the club as exactly the kind of flexible, high-ceiling attacker who can both elevate Regis Le Bris’s starting XI and fit neatly into the longer-term recruitment strategy.

This is not a speculative punt. Sunderland see him as a player capable of making an immediate impact in a season that will include the added strain of European football.

Crucially, the numbers stack up. Finances are not expected to be the major obstacle in this pursuit, with recent and impending sales giving the Black Cats room to move.

Sales fuel another statement window

Sunderland are in the process of completing the sale of Ivory Coast winger Simon Adingra and have already banked a sizeable fee from Eliezer Mayenda’s move to Rennes. Those exits have created the financial flexibility to chase another marquee signing without tearing up the broader plan.

Inside the club, there is a clear determination to build on last season’s success, not simply admire it. The hierarchy have already drawn a firm line under interest in captain Granit Xhaka and midfielder Noah Sadiki, resisting approaches and making it clear that key pillars of the side are not on the market.

That resolve underlines the strategy: strengthen a successful core rather than dismantle it.

At the same time, Sunderland remain acutely aware of UEFA and Premier League financial regulations. Deals are being structured carefully, with an eye on sustainability as well as ambition. The Soule move fits that balance — a significant outlay, but one aligned with age profile, resale potential and immediate sporting value.

A reunion that could define the summer

For Ghisolfi, this is a chance to lean on old relationships at a crucial moment. His previous work with both Soule and Roma offers a direct line into negotiations and a degree of trust that can often speed up a complex transfer.

Sunderland’s pursuit is still at the stage of talks and positioning, but the intent is unmistakable. A club preparing for a historic European campaign is not content with cautious consolidation; it is trying to add the kind of talent that can change games on Thursday nights as well as Sunday afternoons.

If Ghisolfi can pull off a reunion with Soule on Wearside, it will not just be another clever piece of business. It will be a clear signal that Sunderland intend to treat their return to the continental stage as a launchpad, not a destination.