The summer transfer window is heating up for Sunderland, with the latest reports linking the club to Fenerbahce defender Archie Brown. Our analysis of the past seven days shows the club has been tied to five possible arrivals and four potential exits. The hottest storyline right now concerns Monaco's Folarin Balogun, but below is the latest news on some of the most important transfer rumours surrounding the club.
Archie Brown
According to a report on Thursday, Sunderland and Nottingham Forest showed interest in 24-year-old English left-back Archie Brown in 2026, with a reported £13m bid from Nottingham Forest proving unsuccessful. The Fenerbahce defender is now being monitored by Manchester United and Chelsea. It is said that Brown is very keen on a move back to England, but Fenerbahce's manager Ismail Kartal is not eager to sell. The club's valuation for the defender is around £17m, plus a percentage of any future sell-on fee. His contract with the Turkish club is valid until June 2028, and his current market value is €12 million, according to Transfermarkt.
Ernest Poku
Premier League clubs AFC Sunderland and Nottingham Forest are interested in 22-year-old Ernest Poku and, as of Thursday, have registered their interest with Bayer Leverkusen. The German club are reportedly willing to talk but expect a significant transfer profit. Potential buyers would need to offer around 25 million euros for Poku, who was mostly used as a substitute during his first season. The Netherlands U21 international has a contract with Leverkusen until 2030 and a current market value of €25 million, according to Transfermarkt.
Alan Browne
On Thursday, it was reported that Blackburn Rovers are interested in signing Alan Browne, a 31-year-old central midfielder from Ireland who was on loan at Boro last season. It is a difficult deal to complete and there is a lot of interest from other Championship clubs. While Boro had considered re-signing Browne, his return is now considered unlikely because the club is considering other options. A resolution is not expected soon, as the player is currently part of Sunderland's squad in the USA. The Irish international has a contract with Sunderland until June 2027 and a current market value of €2.00m, according to Transfermarkt.
Ahmed Abdullahi
As of Wednesday, Turkish side Eyüpspor are reportedly the primary contender to sign Sunderland's Nigerian striker, Ahmed Abdullahi. Sunderland is seeking to transfer the 22-year-old, and a deal is nearing completion. It is said that talks are ongoing, although it is not yet clear whether the transfer would be a loan or a permanent move, or what the potential fee might be. His contract at Sunderland is due to expire in June 2028, and he has a current market value of €800k according to Transfermarkt.
Folarin Balogun
Team Talk reported on Monday that Sunderland is interested in securing Folarin Balogun and is among the clubs to have spoken with the player's representatives. Monaco values the player at approximately £40 million, a fee that would secure a healthy profit. According to sources, Monaco’s valuation is not viewed as prohibitive by the interested Premier League clubs. Several Premier League sides have already held discussions with Balogun’s representatives. Balogun has two years remaining on his contract and, currently, no negotiations over an extension have taken place.
Arne Engels
On Monday, it was reported that Arne Engels is the subject of considerable attention from clubs across Europe and seeks to leave Celtic this summer. Several other Premier League teams, including Sunderland, have also been watching the midfielder. Celtic are demanding a transfer fee of around £25m, but it is believed the club may be willing to accept a fee slightly below that amount. Engels has communicated his desire for a move to the Celtic board and has recently switched his representation to facilitate a transfer.
Benjamin Nelson
According to ExWHUemployee on Monday, Sunderland are one of the clubs interested in Leicester City defender Ben Nelson, with West Ham and Manchester United also interested in the 22-year-old. Nelson joined Leicester in July 2023 and has a contract until 2027. Leicester reportedly value the player at around £10m and are said to have rejected a €7 million bid from Torino and another offer from Borussia Mönchengladbach in July 2026.
For the very latest transfer news, check out the Sunderland club page.
