Sunderland confirmed they signed Ecuador international Nilson Angulo from Anderlecht on a permanent deal. The move, made on winter deadline day, sparked a major debate back in his home country. The Black Cats paid a guaranteed €17.3m. The club also set up another €2.8m in potential bonuses to get the winger to the Stadium of Light.
Caicedo Questions Timing as Angulo Seals Deadline Day Switch To Sunderland
The transfer is a massive step for his career, but former Manchester City striker Felipe Caicedo told Olé he has mixed feelings about it. He called the move an obvious leap in quality, but is not sure about the timing.
Caicedo spent three years at the Etihad and knows exactly how tough English football is. He suggests his fellow countryman could have arrived at an even bigger club if he had just waited until the summer.
“An obvious leap in quality. But I think if he had waited six months until the end of the season, he would have signed for a top-six Premier League team,” Caicedo explained.
Do Sunderland gain from his signing?
This late signing shows that Régis Le Bris’s side are serious. The coaching staff clearly thinks Angulo is on a roll right now. The winger is only 22 and arrives with his stock rising fast. He has already racked up seven goals and eight assists in the Jupiler Pro League this season.
That production shows how much he has grown since he left LDU Quito in 2022. Caicedo thinks staying in Belgium for six more months could have led to a top-six Premier League team. Still, Sunderland moved fast to grab a player who was clearly getting better by the week.
Talk of a move to an elite club was not just rumours, either. Angulo mentioned on Boxing Day that he had seen stories linking him to Liverpool. He was quick to point out, though, that Arne Slot’s team never actually made a move. Sunderland decided to pounce now rather than risk a bidding war in the summer.
They have signed a player with 21 goal involvements in 94 games for Anderlecht, suggesting he can handle the physical side of the English game. The Ecuador national team benefit from having another attacker in the Premier League. Even so, Caicedo still feels the young star could have aimed even higher. That big price tag means Angulo must perform right away, but his recent play shows he has the tools to justify the outlay.
