Sunderland are reportedly considering a move for UD Almería’s Sergio Arribas. The Black Cats’ sporting director, Florent Ghisolfi, already has the 24-year-old Spaniard high on his shortlist for a summer window that looks set to restructure the squad. According to Saturday’s edition of Gazzetta dello Sport, relayed by Sport Witness, AS Roma have also pinned Arribas as their main choice to replace Paulo Dybala, whose contract expires in June. There is a bit of history here; Ghisolfi flagged Arribas as a talent back when he was Roma’s sporting director before moving to Sunderland in July 2025. He has clearly kept tabs on the midfielder across two different jobs.
Sunderland are in the race for Sergio Arribas
Arribas grew up in Real Madrid’s famous La Fábrica academy. He broke into the first team on 20 September 2020, replacing Vinícius Júnior in a draw against Real Sociedad, and even picked up minutes in the Champions League. Real Madrid eventually sold him to Almería in August 2023, a move that sparked his current rise. His contract runs until 2029, but his value has skyrocketed. Transfermarkt now price him at €15 million, which is nearly double his valuation from last year. His affairs are managed by Alejandro Camaño at Footfeel ISM.
The Numbers are Top-Tier, but is he Ready for the Premier League?
ALMERIA, SPAIN – JANUARY 14: Sergio Arribas of UD Almeria looks on during the LaLiga EA Sports match between UD Almeria and Girona FC at the Power Horse Stadium on January 14, 2024 in Almeria, Spain. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
The stats from FootyStats are hard to ignore. Arribas has bagged 20 goals in 32 Segunda División games this term, split perfectly between home and away fixtures. With 27 total goal involvements, he is averaging 0.92 per 90 minutes. His non-penalty expected goals (npxG) of 0.45 put him in the top 94th percentile of the league, proving he isn’t just padding his stats with penalties. He also averages 2.45 key passes per game with an 86% pass completion rate, showing he has the vision to match his finishing.
He is a clinical left-footed playmaker who carries the ball well and has the technical qualities you expect from a Real Madrid education. However, there are question marks. He has played almost all his senior football in the Spanish second tier. Moving to the Premier League is a massive jump in speed and physicality. While Almería are chasing promotion, Arribas hasn’t been tested weekly against elite European opposition.
Sunderland are currently 12th in the Premier League with 37 points. Régis Le Bris has built this side on grit, pressing, and shape. Whether a luxury player from the Segunda División fits that system immediately is debatable. Personally, I don’t think Sunderland need to rush this. They need proven top-flight experience to stay up. It is a gamble to spend €15 million on a project. Roma make more sense for him; they need a creative spark to replace Dybala and have the European football to lure him in. My gut says he ends up in Italy, while Sunderland look for someone more battle-hardened in England.
