Cost 23 million in the summer
©IMAGO
Midfielder Enzo Le Fée is leaving AS Roma six months after his €23 million transfer from Stade Rennes. The 24-year-old Frenchman is joining English second division club AFC Sunderland. The Black Cats are initially loaning Le Fée until the end of the season. Under certain conditions, a purchase obligation comes into force, as Roma announced. The professional only made ten appearances over 460 minutes this season and his market value fell from 20 million to 18 million euros in December.
After Le Fée’s departure, the Giallorossi are looking for a suitable replacement. The Roma have set their sights on Gladbach’s own product Rocco Reitz, recently reported the “Gazzetta dello Sport“. The 22-year-old corresponds to the combative profile we are looking for and has therefore been the topic of discussion for weeks. In Rome, Reitz would meet his former teammate Manu Koné (23), with whom he is said to still get along well.
Meanwhile, Sunderland sporting director Kristjaan Speakman said of new signing Le Fée: “We are delighted to welcome Enzo to Sunderland and thank Roma for their cooperation on this matter. (…) The opportunity to sign a midfielder with this profile, who already knows how our coach works, is a unique combination that we absolutely had to pursue. Enzo is an outstanding talent and we are convinced that he can improve our level in the second half of the season.” The coach at the Championship club since July has been the Frenchman Régis Le Bris, who had already coached Le Fée 57 times at FC Lorient.