Sunderland keeper Robin Roefs is fast becoming one of the Premier League’s standout bargains – already worth more than double the £11.5m fee paid this summer
Sunderland may not have found a breakthrough at Selhurst Park, but the goalless draw with Crystal Palace offered plenty of positives for Régis Le Bris and his squad. Chief among them was the performance of Robin Roefs, who once again proved why he has the potential to be one of the signings of the summer.
The Dutch goalkeeper, brought in from NEC Nijmegen for just £11.5million, has already repaid that fee several times over with a string of outstanding early-season displays. His commanding performance against Palace earned him man-of-the-match honours, with The Echo awarding him a 9/10 rating and FotMob recording an 8.9.
Roefs’ numbers from the game were superb. Across 90 minutes, he made six saves, including three diving stops, while preventing 1.59 goals against an xGOT faced of 1.59. He also made 15 recoveries, completed 29 of 39 passes (74%), and claimed two high balls with authority on a windy afternoon in south London.
It was the latest in a series of strong showings that have quickly cemented Roefs as one of Sunderland’s key performers. The 22-year-old has already kept two clean sheets in four Premier League games, while also making headlines with a crucial penalty save in the late victory over Brentford. His form has been recognised at international level too, with a recent call-up to the Dutch national team underlining his rapid rise.
Given his impact, it already looks like Kristjaan Speakman and Florent Ghisolfi have pulled off a transfer masterstroke. Signed for £11.5million, Roefs is performing at a level that suggests his value could easily double in the months ahead, with his composure, reflexes and ability to dominate his area drawing praise from pundits and supporters alike.
With seven points from the opening four matches, Sunderland have made an encouraging start to life back in the Premier League. And at the heart of it, Robin Roefs is already proving to be one of the standout young goalkeepers in the division.
What else did we learn during Sunderland’s draw against Crystal Palace?
The draw at Palace also reinforced Sunderland’s resilience in tough circumstances. The Eagles are unbeaten in 15 home matches, lifted the FA Cup and Community Shield in 2025, and remain an established European side – making a point and a clean sheet a significant achievement for Le Bris’ team.
The stalemate at Selhurst Park also marked Sunderland’s first away clean sheet of the Premier League season – and their first in the top flight for 3,052 days. Not since a 2-0 win at Hull City back in 2017 had the Black Cats returned from a Premier League trip without conceding. It represents tremendous progress for the club, with the current crop showing they could dig in and frustrate a European-level team on their own patch.
That Palace failed to make their pressure count will have been a source of frustration for Oliver Glasner. The hosts fired six shots on target – their most in a Premier League home match without scoring since April 2022 against Leeds United, when they managed seven. Sunderland’s defensive structure and Roefs’ brilliance were the key factors in keeping the home side at bay.
The Echo has launched a new WhatsApp SAFC channel to bring the latest news, analysis and team & injury updates directly to your phone. Simply clickthis link to join our SAFC WhatsApp channel.
At the other end, Sunderland failed to muster a single shot on target – the first time that has happened in the Premier League since September 2013 against West Brom. Yet the Black Cats’ ability to dig in and come away with something represents significant progress. Their tally of seven points is their joint-best return from the opening four games of a Premier League season, equalling the start made in 2001-02. Indeed, it is 70 years since Sunderland last began a top-flight campaign with more points at this stage, collecting nine in 1955-56.
Continue Reading