Sunderland are closing in on the signing of Dutch goalkeeper Robin Roefs

Sunderland look to be closing in on their eighth signing of the summer transfer window, with a deal for Dutch goalkeeper Robin Roefs expected to be confirmed in the very near future.

News broke of the Black Cats’ interest in the NEC Nijmegen talent on Wednesday morning, with David Ornstein revealing that an £11.5 million agreement was in the offing. Since then, Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie has corroborated and furthered those claims, stating in a post on X: “Robin Roefs is currently undergoing his Sunderland medical. The Dutch keeper has agreed a 5-year deal, with SAFC paying NEC £11.5m package inclusive of add-ons. Expect this deal to be announced within the next 24 hours, pending medical pass.”

But who is Roefs, and what can Sunderland expect from their newest recruit if and when his arrival is confirmed? Here’s everything you need to know...

Who is Sunderland transfer target Robin Roefs?

Roefs is a 22-year-old goalkeeper who is currently on the books at Eredivisie outfit NEC Nijmegen. Standing at 6’4”, he came through the ranks of the youth academy at NEC after initially signing from childhood club VV Heeswijk in 2014.

Since making his debut in 2023, he has registered 42 senior outings for his current club, keeping 13 clean sheets in the process. Last season proved to be a real breakout moment for the stopper, who - after establishing himself as NEC’s number one - made 33 appearances in the Eredivisie.

In 2023, after being impressed by his early showings, NEC took the decision to extend Roefs’ contract to 2028, but following a series of promising displays and comments from the player himself suggesting that he could be open to the prospect of taking the next step in his career, a summer exit has been widely touted. To that end, French side LOSC Lille were said to be eyeing the Dutchman as a replacement for PSG-bound Lucas Chevalier, but Sunderland look to have beaten them to an agreement.

At international level, Roefs has won 10 caps for the Netherlands at U21s level, and featured prominently during their recent European Championship campaign. Indeed, the stopper was named in Scouted’s Team of the Tournament following his run to the semi-finals.

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What can Sunderland expected from Robin Roefs?

Statistically, there is a lot to like about Roefs’ senior career thus far. Over the course of the 2024/25 campaign, his tally of 9.7 prevented xG was the highest in the Dutch top flight, while his save percentage of 73% was the fourth-best in the division and his total of 10 clean sheets was the third-best.

Perhaps the most impressive aspect of Roefs’ game, however, is the manner in which he commands his penalty area. His tally of 11.2% crosses stopped, as per FBRef, puts him in the 99th percentile of goalkeepers across the continent, and his total of 52 collected crosses was only bettered by four players in Europe’s top five leagues, including Arsenal’s David Raya and Aston Villa’s World Cup winner Emi Martinez. The Dutchman also registered in the 81st percentile for defensive actions outside of his box, hinting at a keen anticipation of potential danger and a willingness to act swiftly.

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