Sunderland transfer news: £60m-rated star drops hint over future amid Chelsea rumours

Sunderland goalkeeper Robin Roefs has hinted that helium plans to enactment astatine the nine adjacent season, contempt reported involvement from Premier League clubs including Chelsea.

The 23-year-old has been a revelation astatine the Stadium of Light since joining from Eredivisie broadside NEC Nijmegen for astir £11.5m past summer, pursuing the Black Cats’ promotion from the Championship.

Avoiding the driblet and reaching the 40-point tally was Sunderland’s superior purpose connected their instrumentality to the Premier League aft 8 seasons away, but the nine is present dreaming of European qualification aft exceeding expectations nether caput manager Regis Le Bris.

Sitting 10th successful the Premier League table, the Wearside outfit person already notched up 46 points from 32 Premier League games and beryllium conscionable 2 points down the apical six.

Roefs has been a standout performer for Sunderland this term, keeping his ninth cleanable expanse of the play successful an important 1-0 location victory implicit relegation-threatened Tottenham Hotspur past weekend.

Roefs readying to enactment astatine Sunderland contempt PL interest

The Dutchman was sidelined for astir a period earlier this twelvemonth with a hamstring injury, but helium inactive ranks 3rd successful the Premier League for saves made (92), and his performances betwixt the sticks are understood to person caught the attraction of immoderate apical clubs successful England.

Recent reports assertion that Champions League-chasing Chelsea person shown an involvement successful Roefs, portion Manchester City and Liverpool person besides been credited with an interest.

The Blues are expected to hunt for a caller goalkeeper this summer, with some Robert Sanchez and Filip Jorgensen failing to cement their presumption arsenic reliable starters.

However, the £60m-rated goalkeeper has not had his caput turned by transportation rumours and has suggested that helium plans to stay a Sunderland subordinate for adjacent season.

Speaking to reporters, arsenic quoted by The Sun, Roefs said: “I anticipation so, yes. It’s not truly a clip to deliberation astir these things similar moving, immoderate rumours. As agelong arsenic I don’t cognize thing astir it, I conscionable support connected going.

“What we are gathering present is conscionable really, truly amazing. Being promoted and performing this way, we tin lone physique connected that and let’s anticipation adjacent play we tin proceed similar this.”

Roefs “happy” astatine Sunderland aft awesome archetypal season

Few had heard of Roefs 12 months ago, but helium has present established himself arsenic 1 of the champion shot-stoppers successful England's apical part and is simply a beardown contender to beryllium named successful the Premier League Team of the Season.

Discussing his accelerated emergence connected the Premier League stage, Roefs added: “I don’t truly consciousness immoderate mode with that. I’m conscionable truly blessed with the assurance and the spot I get from the squad and from the coach. Everyone conscionable supports maine truthful well, they’re blessed that I’m backmost and this is for maine truly important.

“Within the nine and team, they admit maine and that’s conscionable truly bully to have, and what happens extracurricular of that, I don’t truly consciousness immoderate benignant of mode astir it.”

Even if Sunderland miss retired connected European qualification, the nine volition beryllium nether nary contiguous unit to portion ways with Roefs, arsenic helium is nether declaration until the summertime of 2030.

The Black Cats volition anticipation to support clasp of different first-team stars up of the caller run including Noah Sadiki, who has antecedently been linked with Manchester United.