Sunderland new signing Nilson Angulo has been told he could have moved to a “top six Premier League team” this summer.
Regis le Bris’ side completed a deal worth £17.5 million to bring the Ecuadorian winger from Anderlecht to the Belgian Pro League.
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Simon Adingra left the Black Cats to join Monaco on loan with an option to buy, despite only joining from Brighton last summer.
Sunderland moved quickly to sign Angulo, signing a four-and-a-half year deal with the option of a further 12 months.
The 22-year-old enjoyed a breakthrough European season in Belgium with six goals and seven assists in 22 league games.
Sunderland sign Angulo in a £17.5m deal
Speaking about the 12-time Ecuadorian international, South America expert Tim Vickery told The Pitch Prospect: “They certainly have a player on the way up.”
“He’s been in Belgium for three years now. And if you look at the stats, he’s getting better every year,” he continued to Hawsbee & Baker.
“As a sort of slender, right-footed winger, when I saw him play for the Ecuadorian national team, he was almost always on the left side.
“And he’s starting to make an impression with Ecuador too. He scored his first goal for his country in the last game.”
Sunderland manager Le Bris revealed Angulo will arrive on Wearside on Friday evening and could be available to face Arsenal on Saturday.
However, former Manchester City striker and former Ecuador international Felipe Caicedo claimed his compatriot would have signed with the Gunners, his old club or another of the Premier League’s big six if he had waited until the summer to leave Anderlecht.
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Angulo could have sealed the “Top 6” transfer
As Olé said, the 37-year-old said: “An obvious step up 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 team in the Premier League.”
Vickery added to The Pitch Prospect: “When the deal was done he said: ‘Yeah, that’s good for him. That’s a step up in quality.’
“But if he had 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 bit of an exaggeration, but I think he can definitely do a job for Sunderland.”
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Angulo currently in Sunderland vs Arsenal team news
Le Bris has no concerns about Angulo’s match fitness ahead of the trip to the Emirates, although he has not yet trained with his new teammates.
“Nilson will arrive this evening.” Le Bris said Thursday.
“We will see when he will be with us [how quickly he’ll be involved]. He’s played a lot, so he’s fit.
“Now it’s a question of connection with his teammates, with the team. It could happen quickly, and I hope it will.”
“We’ll see, but he could be there on Saturday.”