Sunderland midfielder Pierre Ekwah is the subject of transfer interest from Udinese this summer with the Serie A side understood to have sent a 'formal proposal' for the 22-year-old midfielder, according to renowned Italian sports journalist Fabrizio Romano.
Ekwah joined Sunderland from West Ham United's academy in January 2023 for an undisclosed fee on a deal until the summer of 2027. The midfielder, who featured for RC Arpajonnais, Bretigny FCS and CFF Paris at youth level joined Nantes in 2017 before later completing a move to Chelsea where he spent three years until he left Stamford Bridge in favour of a move to West Ham.
Since arriving on Wearside, Ekwah has made 60 appearances having established himself as a first team regular last season. The midfielder made his debut as a substitute in the fourth round of the FA Cup at Fulham in 2023 before featuring regularly in the closing weeks of the season - including a standout display in Sunderland's 2-1 win over Luton Town in the first leg of their Championship play-off semi-final.
Despite his lack of senior experience prior to his arrival in the North East, Ekwah represents the profile of player Sunderland are keen to recruit and develop, with the potential of a high sell-on fee.
However, any potential fee Sunderland do receive, were they to sanction a sale of Ekwah, would be reduced owing to the clauses agreed with West Ham in the original deal to bring him to the Stadium of Light. According to West Ham sources, Sunderland's minimal fee to sign Ekwah included a high percentage sell-on clause around the 35 per cent mark.
Ekwah has had plenty of admirers across Europe since establishing himself in the Championship with Sunderland, including German outfit Stuttgart who made an approach last summer. But the club remain committed to retaining its best players, as has been the case with a number of other key assets such as Jack Clarke, Anthony Patterson and Dan Ballard across recent transfer windows.
⚪️⚫️ Understand Udinese have sent formal proposal to Sunderland for 22 year old midfielder Pierre Ekwah.
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 16, 2024
Negotiations ongoing also on player side as he’s high on Udinese list. pic.twitter.com/30icSjMXdq
READ MORE: Alan Browne: Sunderland's new 'no-nonsense' midfielder in recruitment shake-up
“I think all I can say on player retention is that we've had a really strong record on that," sporting director Kristjaan Speakman recently said. "We'll just take every piece of interest or every discussion that happens along the way for what it is at that point in time.
"I think the danger with the transfer window is it's always an uncertain period, but our intent and our objective has always been to retain our talent.”
Pierre Ekwah scored five times for Sunderland last season (Image: Ian Horrocks)
Speaking in February after starring in Michael Beale's side as Sunderland came from behind to beat Plymouth Argyle at the Stadium of Light, the French midfielder expressed how he is '100 per cent happy' on Wearside and reiterated how the club's philosophy was key behind his development.
"It's a pleasure to play for this club and play week in, week out," he said. "I'm definitely happy here, for my development as a person and a footballer it's the perfect place.
"Every game there are 40,000 people, I just find it crazy and so good. I remember my first home game, wow, the noise was just crazy. Since then I've always said, if you can play here where else can you not play?
"Before I was the new kid on the block, now all of a sudden the coaches are telling me I need to say this and that and organise a little bit.
"I'm definitely enjoying that because that's what I used to do as an under-21s player at West Ham. Now I have that backing from the coaches and players as well to speak my mind."
Udinese finished 15th in Serie A last season but, according to Romano, have placed Ekwah high on their list of targets this summer.
Sunderland recently completed the signing of Alan Browne on a free transfer following his exit from Preston North End to add extra competition for places in midfield, but it is an area of the field new head coach Régis Le Bris is likely to want strengthening rather than weakened heading into the new Championship season.
Ekwah scored five times for Sunderland last season, adding two assists, across 40 Championship appearances.
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