Yet another Sunderland player is attracting Premier League attention after impressing at the Stadium of Light.
According to TEAMtalk, three Premier League teams—Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest, and Fulham—are interested in signing French midfielder Pierre Ekwah, therefore the Frenchman may be returning to a top-tier English football team.
This would not be Ekwah’s first stint under contract with a Premier League team, should a transfer be finalized.
In the January transfer window of the previous season, he paid an undisclosed amount to join the Black Cats from West Ham. In 2021, he moved from Chelsea to the Hammers. He signed a contract with Sunderland that keeps him committed until the summer of 2027.
Pierre Ekwah’s Sunderland career so far
The 21-year-old didn’t have a standout performance in his debut half-season with the team. Of the 14 games in which he appeared, he only started five. His influence took time to materialize, but that was also true of many of Sunderland’s acquisitions.
They purchase young players, and they lack the expertise to draw from to help them quickly adjust to and fit into a new environment. Trai Hume also failed to get off to a good start; he could depart in January due to interest from the Premier League and the CHampionship.
But where he has truly proven himself is in this campaign.
Compared to his participation in the Championship last season, Ekwah has already started more games. The brace he received against Southampton in the 5-0 home loss was his most noteworthy performance. He was able to demonstrate throughout the 2023–24 season why he was a part of the West Ham and Chelsea academy systems, which could be advantageous for any players considering joining Sunderland in the near future.
Selling Pierre Ekwah might not be all bad for Sunderland
It would be reasonable to assume that the club will demand an eight-figure transfer fee in order to allow Ekwah to depart permanently, given the fees they have been asking for some of their other young, consistent players. His price will rise even further because West Ham is said to have a hefty sell-on percentage for any money Sunderland makes from the Frenchman.
Thus, they stand to gain a great deal from the young player unless they suddenly decide to start making bad decisions when selling their talent. However, the Black Cats’ probable sale of him would send a message to the younger players they are scouting.
Ekwah is a fantastic illustration of how quickly one can progress from playing for a premier league first team as an under-21 at a top club to being a first team member in the league. Even if he were to be sold after this season, it would still demonstrate that it is possible to reach the pinnacle of the game—through Sunderland—in less than two years.The playing careers of professional athletes are usually quite brief. They have to make the most of those ten to fifteen years because they don’t last long. Ekwah’s stint in the northeast serves as evidence that the Stadium of Light is a fantastic location for young players looking to maximize their playing opportunities.
