Sunderland See Big-Money Bid Rejected For Young Leicester Talent

Sunderland See Big-Money Bid Rejected For Young Leicester Talent

Sunderland's Premier League survival mission has seen plenty of funding supplied throughout it already, but The Black Cats are showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon, with this summer's transfer window edging towards it's final days.

Having already secured the services of 12 first-team signings ahead of their Premier League return, one that started well with a 3-0 win over West Ham after 8 years in the wilderness, Regis Le Bris has lined up another daring arrival to bolster his attack.

Ghanaian winger Abdul Fatawu Issahaku is the player in question, with Sunderland seeing a £27.5m bid rejected by Leicester City as the window draws near it's ending, according to transfer journalist Ben Jacobs.

Fatawu Lined Up In Black Cat Spree

Fatawu, 21, joined Leicester City back in 2023, on an initial loan from Portuguese heavyweights Sporting Lisbon then aged 19.

The Ghanaian wide-man took little time to adjust to The Foxes' hopes of returning to the Premier League, from where they had only just been relegated, and provided 6 league goals and a further 13 assists on their way back into the top flight at the first time of asking, then under the tutelage of Enzo Maresca.

Leicester City had a mandatory obligation to purchase Fatawu should they return to the Premier League, and that clause was executed in May 2024. Fatawu would go on to a strong start to top-flight life, assisting a dramatic Jamie Vardy equaliser against Tottenham in the club's return fixture, but an unfortunate Cruciate Ligament injury in November would bring his season to an abrupt end, all whilst Leicester City tumbled straight back down to the Championship.

Fatawu is absolutely class mind, price will seem high to some but if the club bidded £27m and intend to go back in that should show you how much we rate him.

He’s literally exactly what we need.

— Cam (@_CRVisuals) August 18, 2025

Now, having made his return to playing with starts against Sheffield Wednesday and Preston North End to kick-off Leicester's season, an opportunity to return to the Premier League personally may be arriving in the medium of an ambitious Sunderland side, who have sought out 12 fresh faces already in this summer transfer window, amongst them the likes of Granit Xhaka and Simon Adingra, both of whom starred in a 3-0 win for The Black Cats on their opening day clash with West Ham.

Sunderland have, according to Jacobs, launched a £27.5m bid in an effort to make Fatawu the next player to bolster their attacking options, but this proposal has been rejected by the Championship side ahead of their promotion hopes.

Abdul Fatawu vs Sheffield Wednesday pic.twitter.com/uR7CpD5jY4

— A Man of Experience and Wisdom (@luvvmychoppa) August 12, 2025

The Mackems will continue to scour the market in search of a new striker to lead their Premier League line, but will reportedly make a return to Leicester for Fatawu's services, although The Foxes are not interested in a sale below their healthy asking price.

Sunderland Signings Stun as Hammers Discarded

Sunderland's Premier League return may have been eight years in the making, but those watching The Black Cats take apart an experienced West Ham side would be forgiven for wondering which side had spent almost a decade adrift of the top flight.

Though Sunderland have spent heavily following their promotion out of the Championship, following a jaw-dropping late win over Sheffield United at Wembley Stadium, it was three players who already existed withing their second-tier ranks who found the net on opening day to dismiss Graham Potter's impotent West Ham side, as Eliezer Mayender and Wilson Isidor scored either side of a header from Dan Ballard to put their visitors away in a second-half show.

Away from the goals, however, there were plaudits aplenty for some of Sunderland's new faces, in particular those in the midfield department.

Noah Sadiki, with a strong performance in his Premier League debut! At just 20, he dominated West Ham’s whole midfield. Congolese excellence🇨🇩⭐️ pic.twitter.com/xAPz4NaWms

— Garçon🇨🇩 (@garcon29__) August 16, 2025

Granit Xhaka, the most eyebrow-raising arrival at the club this summer, was joined in Le Bris's engine room by former Strasbourg youngster Habib Diarra as well as another young face in Noah Sadiki - who recently headed to the North East by way of Union Saint-Gilloise.

There was much admiration for the three as part of Sunderland's overhauled midfield, with many giving them credit as the biggest factor behind the club's opening day success.