Transfer news: Club open talks over permanent deal for Sunderland loanee
Sunderland defender Jenson Seelt is currently out on loan with VfL Wolfsburg
It was, looking back, a rollercoaster start to the season for Sunderland prospect Jenson Seelt.
Thrown into Regis Le Bris’ starting XI for the Black Cats’ long-awaited return to the Premier League on that opening weekend against West Ham due to a defensive injury crisis, he was then shipped out on loan to German outfit VfL Wolfsburg shortly after, where a hamstring complaint and an early suspension hindered his bid to nail down a place in the first team.
More recently, however, things have been looking up. At the time of writing, Seelt has featured in all of Wolfsburg’s last seven Bundesliga fixtures, and seems to have carved out a key role in their plans as the club battle to open up a gap between themselves and the relegation zone.
Indeed, according to Sky Germany, the Dutchman has impressed so much of late that Wolfsburg have decided that they would like to keep him around on a permanent basis. As things stand, there is no agreement in place between Sunderland and the continental side that would give them the option to sign Seelt beyond his loan stint, and as such he is expected to return to Wearside at the end of the season.
But it is now claimed that Wolfsburg are eager to secure the 22-year-old on a long-term deal, and consequently, they have already opened up preliminary talks with his parent club over the prospect of a transfer. At this stage, it is unclear whether the Black Cats would be willing to sanction his exit, or what kind of fee they would demand for the player.
Seelt signed for Sunderland from PSV Eindhoven in 2023 for around £1.7 million, and has since gone on to make 21 senior appearances in the North East. His time in England had been heavily impacted by injury prior to this season, and his current contract at the Stadium of Light is set to run until 2028.
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What was said about Jenson Seelt’s loan move to VfL Wolfsburg?
Explaining the decision to allow Seelt to head out on loan back in early September, Sunderland sporting director Kristjaan Speakman said: “First and foremost, we were delighted to see Jenson return to action this summer.
“Throughout preseason and the start of the Premier League campaign, he’s looked really good, but we believe this season he needs to play more minutes than we can guarantee at this moment in time. The opportunity to play in the Bundesliga is the perfect platform for him to feature regularly at a high level and gain the experience he needs at this stage of his development.”
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