‘Over the top’ – Ex-Man City star makes bold ‘big-six’ claim about new Sunderland signing
Sunderland’s deadline-day signing Nilson Angulo has been told he could have joined a ‘top-six Premier League team’ this summer.
Regis le Bris’s side completed a deal worth £17.5million to land the Ecuadorian winger from Anderlecht in the Belgian Pro League.
Angulo will reunite with former Anderlecht teammate Noah Sadiki at SunderlandAFP
Simon Adingra left the Black Cats to join Monaco on loan with an option to buy, despite only arriving from Brighton last summer.
Sunderland moved quickly to sign Angulo, who penned a four-and-a-half-year contract, with the option of a further 12 months.
The 22-year-old had been enjoying a breakout European campaign in Belgium, with six goals and seven assists across 22 league outings.
Sunderland sign Angulo in £17.5m deal
On the 12-cap Ecuador international, South American expert Tim Vickery told talkSPORT: “They’ve certainly got a player on the way up.
“He’s been in Belgium now for three years. And if you look at the stats, he’s got better every year,” he continued to Hawsbee & Baker.
“As a kind of rangy winger, right-footed, when I’ve seen him play for the Ecuador national team, he’s almost always been on the left cutting in.
“And he’s starting to make an impression with Ecuador as well. He got his first goal for his country in the last game.”
Sunderland boss Le Bris revealed Angulo will arrive on Wearside on Friday evening, and could be available against Arsenal on Saturday.
However, former Manchester City striker and ex-Ecuador international Felipe Caicedo claimed his compatriot would have signed for the Gunners, his old club, or another of the Premier League‘s big six had he waited until this summer to leave Anderlecht.
Angulo could have joined an elite Premier League team had he waited until the summer to leave AnderlechtAFP
Angulo could have sealed ‘top-six’ transfer
As quoted by Olé, the 37-year-old said: “An obvious leap in quality [from the Jupiler Pro League to the Premier League]…
“But I think if he had waited six months until the end of the season, he would have signed for a top-six Premier League team.”
Vickery added to talkSPORT: “He said when the deal was closed, he said, yeah, good for him. It’s a step up in quality.
“But if he’d waited another six months, he could have got a big six club in the Premier League.
“So Felipe Caisedo really, really believes in him. That might be a little bit over the top, but I think he can certainly do a job for Sunderland.”
Le Bris hasn’t ruled Angulo out of making his Sunderland debut away at ArsenalAFP
Angulo latest in Sunderland team news vs Arsenal
Le Bris has no concerns over Angulo’s match fitness ahead of the trip to the Emirates despite not training with his new teammates yet.
“Nilson will arrive this evening.” Le Bris said on Thursday.
“We’ll see when he’ll be with us [how quickly he’ll be involved]. He played a lot, so he’s fit.
“Now it’s a question of connection with his teammates, with the squad. It could be quick, and I hope it will be the case.
“We’ll see, but he could be involved on Saturday.”
