Sunderland’s chase of André-Frank Zambo Anguissa is alive but getting harder. According to Italian newspaper Il Mattino, the Cameroon international is edging closer to leaving Napoli this summer, with his club now actively considering selling him. The report confirms that Sunderland tried to sign the 29-year-old last summer, only for Napoli to block any move.
Sunderland face fresh competition for Napoli’s injury-prone midfielder this summer
That position has since softened considerably. Zambo Anguissa’s contract runs until 2027, but an injury-ridden 2024/25 campaign has frozen any contract renewal talks entirely. Napoli want around €20m to sell him permanently, and Turkish side Besiktas have already tabled a concrete €15m offer.
The Black Cats have not submitted a formal bid yet. Crucially, Il Mattino also notes that Zambo Anguissa himself remains unconvinced about joining Besiktas, and that a return to England appeals to him, which is exactly what keeps Sunderland in the race moving into the summer window.
Is a €20m investment in a player with recurring injury problems a smart move for Sunderland right now?
Regis Le Bris has silently built Sunderland into a side that demand physicality and intensity in the centre of the park, and Zambo Anguissa, when fit, definitely is the right profile. His pressing numbers at Napoli in peak seasons were elite, and his ability to win the ball back in tight spaces would give Sunderland a completely different dimension in the Premier League.
However, his injury record this past season is genuinely alarming. A player who misses large stretches cannot anchor a survival campaign, regardless of pedigree. Paying €20m for someone in that condition would be an enormous gamble for a club still building financial muscle.
A lower, negotiated fee, closer to what Besiktas are offering, makes the gamble a lot safer. If Sunderland can leverage his hesitation over Besiktas and drive the fee down, the move makes a lot more sense. At a discount, it is an interesting bet. At full price, Sunderland should walk away.
