Fabrizio Romano delivers Sunderland-related transfer update as Chelsea man makes decision

Sunderland target Harvey Vale has agreed to join Championship rivals Queens Park Rangers from Chelsea.

The Black Cats had previously been linked with a move for the versatile 21-year-old Chelsea man Vale, who can play in attacking areas but also at wing-back. However, QPR are now expected to sign the player.

Transfer insider Fabrizio Romano wrote on X: “Harvey Vale leaves Chelsea and joins QPR on an initial free transfer, bonuses and sell-on clause are included based on performances. Contract until June 2028 and medical ready.”

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Ex-Bristol Rovers loanee Vale has been on the books at Stamford Bridge since he was 12 years old but looks to be headed towards the exit door in West London as his contract runs down and first-team opportunities remain hard to come by. Chelsea will also reportedly not ask for a transfer fee for the player.

Vale’s current deal is expected to expire at the end of the season, and he has spent the vast majority of the campaign in Chelsea’s U21 set-up, except for 68 minutes of action in the Europa Conference League late last year.

Régis Le Bris says that Sunderland are preparing for the possibility of transfer deadline day impacting their preparations for a crucial Championship game against Middlesbrough.

The January window closes at 11pm on Monday, around an hour after Sunderland’s game at the Riverside will likely finish. The Black Cats still have some business to conclude, with their search for another forward player ongoing and a number of fringe players potentially departing to try and get more regular game time.

The Black Cats would ideally like to get all of their business done before Monday, preventing any disruption to Le Bris’s matchday squad. The Sunderland head coach says he knows this might not be possible in an ‘unpredictable’ transfer market.

"I would like this, but it is not often the case," Le Bris said. “Because the market is unpredictable. We will try our best to protect the team because we have two timelines, how we want to prepare this game to be fully engaged and at the same time, we know so that some adjustment [to the squad] could be useful for the future. We will try our best to try and manage these two timelines properly."

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