Sunderland links questioned as Guendouzi flies to Turkey for transfer

Sunderland’s name may have been used more as leverage than reality in the transfer saga surrounding Matteo Guendouzi, with the midfielder now pictured flying to Turkey ahead of a move to Fenerbahçe.

Throughout December, the Black Cats were repeatedly linked with the Lazio midfielder by sections of the Italian press, but the absence of any concrete move now appears telling.

On 11 December, Corriere dello Sport reported that Sunderland were preparing a January offer for Matteo Guendouzi, framing Lazio’s well-documented financial problems as an opportunity for a deal.

More recently, Il Messaggero claimed Sunderland were still in the race, suggesting a fee of around €25m could be enough to prise the Frenchman away after a season in which he had struggled to impress in Serie A.

Despite the volume of reporting, no formal bid from Sunderland ever materialised.

Any lingering doubts were effectively ended when SportsDigitale published images of Guendouzi and his entourage boarding a private jet bound for Istanbul.

The midfielder is now set to join Fenerbahçe, with Lazio expected to receive around €27m — notably higher than the figures previously discussed while Sunderland were being mentioned as suitors.

Rather than being beaten to Guendouzi, there is a growing sense that Sunderland’s involvement existed largely on paper.

Italian outlets appeared keen to reference the Black Cats at every opportunity, often highlighting head coach Régis Le Bris and his past connections with the player as justification for the links. In reality, those rumours never progressed beyond speculation.

With most of the noise originating from Rome-based media, it is difficult to ignore the possibility that Sunderland’s Premier League profile was used to create momentum around a potential sale — and to strengthen Lazio’s negotiating position.

By keeping Guendouzi’s name associated with an English club, Lazio were able to maintain the impression of competition for his signature. That narrative appears to have paid off, with Fenerbahçe ultimately agreeing a €27m deal — above the price previously suggested.

For Sunderland, it underlines how often Premier League clubs can be pulled into transfer stories without any genuine intent to buy.

Guendouzi is expected to complete his move to Fenerbahçe imminently, bringing an end to weeks of speculation. Sunderland, meanwhile, are likely to continue focusing on targets that better fit their long-term recruitment strategy rather than high-profile names carrying inflated price tags.

Were Sunderland ever genuinely interested, or were they simply a convenient name to boost Guendouzi’s value?