Sunderland achieve major breakthrough in their pursuit of Roma midfielder Enzo Le Fee
SUNDERLAND appear to have won the battle to sign French midfielder Enzo Le Fee from Roma.
After a week of intense negotiations, various Italian media sources are reporting that Roma have agreed a deal with the Black Cats.
The reports claim there was a breakthrough in discussions today which will see Le Fee travel to England in the next 24 hours to tie up a move to the Stadium of Light.
The 24-year-old will initially join Sunderland on loan for the remainder of the season, but an agreement is understood to be in place for a potential permanent deal in the summer.
It is being suggested that Sunderland will be compelled to complete a permanent transfer worth around €23m if they win promotion to the Premier League at the end of the current campaign. If that deal was to go through, it would represent a new transfer record for the club.
The Black Cats have been battling against a number of rival clubs in an attempt to sign Le Fee, who is a creative midfielder who impressed in Ligue 1 prior to joining Roma in the summer.
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Real Betis broke off talks over a loan deal of their own at the start of the month, while Lille also spoke to the Roma hierarchy about Le Fee’s position.
However, Sunderland officials were always confident they could pull off a deal, with Regis Le Bris’ close personal relationship with Le Fee having been central to discussions.
Le Bris and Le Fee worked together at Lorient, with the Sunderland boss helping the French midfielder to progress through the youth academy at the Ligue 1 before supporting his promotion to the senior ranks.
Le Fee then spent time at Rennes before joining Roma in a deal reportedly worth €23m in the summer.
He has struggled to make an impact in Serie A, with his prospects of regular first-team football having been damaged significantly by the arrival of Claudio Ranieri as Roma head coach in November.
Ranieri has deemed Le Fee to be surplus to requirements, paving the way for his planned move to Wearside.
