Medical booked as Florent Ghisolfi sanctions Sunderland transfer deal with £1m clause – reports
Milan Aleksić is reportedly closing in on a loan move away from Sunderland as the summer transfer window approaches
Florent Ghisolfi is set to sanction Milan Aleksić’s latest Sunderland exit, with reports in Serbia claiming the midfielder is closing in on a loan move to Partizan Belgrade.
The 20-year-old is said to have arrived in Belgrade for medical checks ahead of signing for Partizan, with the Serbian giants expected to take him on loan from Sunderland for the 2026-27 campaign. Mozzart Sport report that the agreement will include an option to buy worth €1.2million, which converts to roughly £1.03million. The fee would reportedly be paid in three instalments if Partizan decide to activate the clause.
Aleksić joined Sunderland from Radnički 1923 in August 2024 on a four-year contract, with the fee reported at the time to be around £3.1million. He arrived on Wearside as an exciting young attacking midfielder but has struggled to force his way into the first-team picture.
He made his Sunderland debut as a substitute in a 1-1 draw against Millwall in November 2024 and scored his first goal for the club in the FA Cup defeat against Stoke City in January 2025, finding the net just minutes after replacing Chris Rigg. Aleksić spent part of the 2025-26 season on loan at Polish side Cracovia, where he made eight appearances in all competitions before returning to Sunderland in January.
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Across his Sunderland career so far, Aleksić has made 10 senior appearances and scored once. That includes eight league appearances, one FA Cup outing and one League Cup appearance, but has not yet scored in league football for the Black Cats and does not appear to be part of Règis Le Bris’ thinking now that the club are operating as a top 10 club in the Premier League.
Before moving to Sunderland, Aleksić made 36 appearances for Radnički 1923, scoring six goals. His record there included two goals in Serbian SuperLiga action, two in the national cup and two in Europe. A move to Partizan would give him the chance to return to Serbian football with one of the country’s biggest clubs, while Sunderland would retain a route to a permanent sale if he impresses.
For Ghisolfi, the decision fits into a wider summer of squad shaping at the Stadium of Light. Sunderland are preparing for another Premier League campaign and a return to European football, meaning the club must make calls on players who are unlikely to command regular minutes under Régis Le Bris. Aleksić still has talent and time on his side, but the move has not worked out as hoped so far. A loan to Partizan, with a seven-figure option attached, now looks set to offer all parties clarity heading into the new season.
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