Sunderland are considering a move for Kelechi Chibueze, and a new report has revealed the chances of the club offering him a contract with the academy side in the near future.
Who is Kelechi Chibueze?
Chibueze is a goalkeeper who initially started his career within the youth setup at Premier League side Chelsea before making the move to Leicester City, but having departed the King Power Stadium upon the expiration of his contract on July 1st, as per Transfermarkt, he’s now a free agent.
With the 19-year-old being on the market without a home, that means he would cost nothing to recruit, making him an attractive prospect for any potential suitors out there, but it isn’t just his level of performances at club level that have been impressive.
The Foxes’ former shot-stopper previously represented England’s U16s, where he made four appearances, and he will now be looking for his next permanent destination to try and help give him a chance of re-entering the international fold at a higher level.
Are Sunderland signing Chibueze?
According to The Sunderland Echo, Chibueze is currently on trial at the Academy of Light, with the goalkeeper having recently been training with Graeme Murty’s U21s side.
The Championship outfit getting their target in the building to take a closer look at him is an “indication” that the hierarchy are considering offering him a contract, though it’s worth noting that “no decision has yet been made” on whether this will actually come to fruition.
Whilst Nathan Bishop, who joined over the summer, has been training with the academy, Adam Richardson currently being out injured, alongside the departures of Jacob Carney and Harrison Bond, has “caused a void” in this particular department, so this could be a situation to keep a close eye on over the next few weeks.
How many clean sheets has Chibueze kept?
During his time at Leicester, Chibueze kept three clean sheets from a total of 19 appearances, so he’s still very much a work in progress, but there’s no doubt that joining the academy would help him to gain experience and develop as a player even further at Sunderland.
The Lewisham-born talent, who is of Nigerian descent, has also played against a decent level of competition when on international duty having faced youth teams like Croatia, Austria, Japan and Turkey as part of a group of friendlies, so this exposure to an increased standard of opposition will have done him the world of good.
Furthermore, the young shot-stopper only earned £500-per-week in the Midlands so he would be an extremely cheap and affordable recruit for Wearside chiefs to bring on board, a salary that would be more than worth paying for a possible star in the making.
The Black Cats will recognise that Chibueze is still only a teenager, but should he prove himself enough to be handed the chance to put pen to paper on a deal, he’s likely to be given the opportunity he requires to go on and become an exciting signing for the long-term future of the red and white stripes.
