Who is Sunderland new boy Nilson Angulo? | OneFootball

Sunderland completed the signing of 22-year-old winger Nilson Angulo on deadline day. The former Anderlecht attacker joined the Black Cats in a move worth £17.5 million and signed a four-and-a-half year deal.

So could he take Sunderland to even further heights this season?

Angulo is an Ecuadorian winger who started his career at LDU de Quito before joining Anderlecht in 2022. During his time in Belgium, Angulo made 94 appearances and scored 10 goals.

Despite this modest goal return, seven of the 10 goals have come this season, from 30 matches. In 2025/26, Angulo has proved a key player in Besnik Hasi’s side, playing on both the left and right wing.

He is a real threat on the ball, boasting 45 successful dribbles and 46 chances created in the league this season. Angulo has shown his ruthlessness in front of goal too, outperforming his xG of 4.06 with six league goals this season.

Out of possession, Angulo is a hard worker, which suits Regis Le Bris’ approach perfectly. The Ecuador international has made 105 recoveries, won 170 duels and made 61 tackles already this campaign.

Upon Angulo’s arrival, Sunderland boss Le Bris said: “He is a strong, powerful, tall winger with strong physical ability. He has this South American style of play as well, with the ability to be creative. He likes the one-on-one situations, he has this character.

“After that, he will probably need time to connect with his team-mates and the league, but you never know, sometimes it is really quick, sometimes it takes time. But we are really happy to have him.”

The 22-year-old could make his Sunderland debut against Arsenal this weekend, but it’s more likely to happen next week against reigning Champions Liverpool.