Sunderland have agreed a deal to sign DR Congo Under-23 midfielder Jules Ahoka from Belgian club Royal Antwerp, with the 20-year-old set to undergo his medical before completing the move to the Premier League side.
The agreement is understood to be worth about £8m, with Royal Antwerp expected to receive a package of around €10m. Ahoka has also agreed personal terms with Sunderland and has been given permission to travel for his medical.
The midfielder is expected to sign a five-year contract with Sunderland, where he is viewed as a developing option in midfield and potential back-up to Granit Xhaka.
Ahoka’s impending move has been accompanied by strong praise from Royal Antwerp coach Marvin Compper, who believes the young Congolese player has the potential to become an important member of a team rather than simply a squad player.
“𝐇𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐝𝐚𝐲. 𝐇𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐡𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥. 𝐇𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐚 𝐬𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐞, 𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐚 𝐤𝐞𝐲 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫,” he declared.
Ahoka initially joined Antwerp’s reserve team after arriving at the Belgian club and subsequently worked his way into the first-team setup.
His development at Antwerp has now attracted interest from Sunderland, who have made the midfielder part of their plans as they strengthen their squad with young talent.
The player, born in 2006, represents DR Congo at Under-23 level and has emerged as one of the promising midfielders in Belgian football.
Sunderland have been pursuing the transfer as part of a broader project focused on developing emerging players, with Ahoka seen as a player capable of progressing further after his arrival in England.
The move is expected to become official once the midfielder completes the required medical examinations.
Travel arrangements have already been made, with Ahoka expected to leave Belgium and begin the medical process in England.
The transfer has been described as a permanent move, bringing an end to his spell with Antwerp after his progression from the club’s reserve team to the senior side.
For Antwerp, the agreement represents a significant return on a young player who has developed within their system. The Belgian club are expected to receive around €10m as part of the overall package.
For Sunderland, meanwhile, Ahoka represents another investment in a young midfielder with room to develop.
The Black Cats reportedly see him as cover for Xhaka while also believing he can continue his development and eventually compete for a more prominent role.
