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Sunderland set to continue summer spending with NEC goalkeeper Roefs

Robin Roefs is set to join Sunderland
Robin Roefs is set to join SunderlandPro Shots Photo Agency / ddp USA / Profimedia

Dutch youth international Robin Roefs is set to sign for Premier League newcomers Sunderland after the Wearsiders reached an agreement with Dutch club NEC.

According to several sources, including Sky Sports and The Athletic, the 22-year-old Roefs will reportedly earn NEC a fixed fee of €10.5 million, a fee which could rise to €13.5 million via bonuses (£9m to £11.5m).

Roefs will sign a five-year contract at Sunderland, who announced the statement signing of Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Granit Xhaka earlier on Wednesday.

The transfer fee will smash NEC's transfer record, which previously stood at just €5 million from last year's sale of Magnus Mattsson to FC Copenhagen.

Roefs broke into the first team during the 2023/24 season and took the starting spot before the 2024/25 season, in which he shone and became the starting goalkeeper for the Dutch U21 team at this summer's Under-21 European Championships.

The NEC standout joins Anthony PattersonBlondy Nna Noukeu, and Simon Moore in Sunderland's goalkeeping unit.

Patterson started 44 of Sunderland's 46 games in the regular season and kept 14 clean sheets, considerably fewer than James Trafford (29) and Ilan Meslier (21) of fellow promoted sides Burnley and Leeds United.

Reports suggest that Sunderland would want Patterson to compete with Roefs for a starting spot next season.

Roefs is expected to finalise his transfer soon, with his medical scheduled for Wednesday.