Matias Soulé drops seven-word transfer hint as £30m Sunderland pursuit gathers pace | OneFootball

Matias Soulé has cast doubt on his Roma future after returning for pre-season. Asked if he expects to stay, he replied, "Will I stay? Honestly, I don’t know."

According to Sunderland Echo, the 23-year-old said he had just arrived and declined to send a message to supporters. His remarks come amid fresh links to Sunderland, with Régis Le Bris seeking a right-sided attacker.

Initial indications were that contact amounted to a tentative enquiry, but the situation now appears to have moved on. Soulé’s agent, Martin Guastadisegno, is understood to have travelled to England for talks with Sunderland and Fulham.

Roma are believed to value the former Juventus winger at about €35 million, roughly £30 million. His book value is reportedly around €15.5 million, so a sale at that level would deliver a sizeable profit.

An approach from Sunderland would reportedly be seriously considered, with the player attracted by the Premier League. Sunderland can also offer Europa League football after finishing seventh last season, though Fulham and others could compete for his signature.

Soulé joined Roma from Juventus two summers ago for an initial €26 million, around £22 million, after interest from Leicester City. He made 41 appearances last season, scoring seven and assisting eight as Roma returned to the Champions League. Sunderland transfer chief Florent Ghisolfi knows him well from that move, which could aid any pursuit.

Source: Sunderland Echo