Alious
A Sunderland defender could be heading back to the Stadium of Light sooner than expected after a worrying update emerged from Germany regarding his future.
The young Dutch centre-back began his football journey in the Netherlands with NEC Nijmegen, before earning a move to PSV Eindhoven, where he spent six years developing in their academy system.
His potential was highly rated during his PSV days, and Sunderland later swooped in to sign him on a five-year contract while the club were still competing in the Championship.
However, despite Sunderland’s promotion to the Premier League, the defender has struggled to establish himself as a regular figure in the squad. He has been largely used as a rotational option, making just 20 appearances for the Black Cats, and while he publicly maintained he was doing everything right to earn consistent minutes, he failed to truly cement his place.
Last summer, Sunderland agreed to send him out on loan to Bundesliga side Wolfsburg, with the German club holding an option to buy him for between €13m and €15m if he impressed during the season.
But his spell in Germany has been badly disrupted.
The 22-year-old has struggled to remain fit and has not featured for Wolfsburg since late December, with illness after the new year followed by a fresh knee injury ruling him out once again.
Now, according to Kicker (via Fussball Transfers), Wolfsburg are considered “highly unlikely” to activate their purchase option due to his ongoing fitness problems and injury history.
That verdict could leave Sunderland facing a major decision when the season ends.
Although the Dutchman has managed over 700 minutes of football in Germany this term, it appears his lack of availability has seriously damaged his chances of earning a permanent move.
He featured in Sunderland’s first two Premier League matches of the campaign, but his exit was approved after the club strengthened defensively with the arrival of Omar Alderete.
With Wolfsburg seemingly unwilling to commit financially, the defender could be set for an unwanted return to Wearside.
His Sunderland contract runs until 2028, meaning the club will now have to carefully weigh up their next move — whether to reintegrate him, loan him out again, or look for a different buyer if his Wolfsburg deal collapses completely.
Alious
