Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal: WOW! What a point! James Copley and Phil Smith react at the Stadium of Light
Sunderland linked with a Norwich City starlet after a successful trial and a bid for Moroccan U20 talent Hossam Essadak
Sunderland’s recruitment department has been active on multiple fronts this week, with fresh developments emerging both in Morocco and closer to home. The Black Cats are pushing ahead with plans for the January transfer window – and two stories broke on Saturday that underline the scale of their work behind the scenes.
Reports in Africa claim that Sunderland and Celtic have both submitted official bids for highly rated Union Touarga midfielder Hossam Essadak. According to Africa Foot, Touarga officials confirmed via telephone that formal offers have arrived from the two clubs, with both hoping to bring the 20-year-old to Europe in January.
Essadak, a defensive midfielder and captain of Morocco’s U20s, has been on the radar of several North African sides for months, including Wydad Casablanca and RS Berkane. However, Touarga have made it clear they will not engage with domestic rivals. One senior figure at the club is quoted as saying the priority is “European offers, which can help the player develop and offer greater visibility to the club.” That stance puts Sunderland and Celtic in prime position as negotiations move forward.
The midfielder enhanced his reputation during the U20 World Cup, playing a key role in Morocco’s triumph. He was close to a European switch last summer, with Las Palmas reportedly agreeing a €400,000 deal before their relegation ended the move. Whether Sunderland or Celtic reach that valuation remains to be seen, but both clubs are expected to send representatives to Morocco in the coming weeks to assess Essadak in person before escalating talks.
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Meanwhile, a separate transfer line emerged on Wearside on Saturday morning. Sunderland’s U18s quietly fielded a mystery trialist at the Academy of Light, prompting plenty of speculation online. By the afternoon, The Echo was able to confirm the player’s identity as Triziano Lorenzo Sanchez Alvin Wilson, who is currently contracted to Norwich City.
The young forward made an immediate impression, scoring twice and providing an assist during the U18s’ match. His involvement was first flagged by @SAFCsource on X, and Sunderland will now take a closer look as they assess whether to move forward with a potential deal.
What did Mikel Arteta say about Sunderland after the Arsenal game?
Mikel Arteta insisted Arsenal “deserved” to leave the Stadium of Light with all three points – but the Gunners boss also made a point of praising Sunderland’s position in the Premier League after a dramatic 2–2 draw on Saturday night.
Arsenal looked to have completed the turnaround through second-half goals from Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard, only for Brian Brobbey to crash in a superb stoppage-time equaliser that preserved Sunderland’s unbeaten home record. Even after that, the league leaders nearly stole it at the death, with Dan Ballard producing a heroic block to deny Mikel Merino’s late effort.
Speaking afterwards, Arteta cut a frustrated figure when reflecting on a night he felt slipped away. “Obviously, the last feeling is disappointment and frustration because we wanted the three points, and we have to navigate through a really tough game,” Arteta said.
“We knew that they are very disruptive. We have to deal with situations obviously that are difficult to deal with. They do it really well and we conceded a goal that is not in our standards. But after that, I think the team reacted really well, showed a lot of personality and courage. They scored the first goal, they scored the second goal and we totally dominated the game.
“You have to rely on defending the box when they start to commit six or seven players there. It can be from a direct play, it can be from a throw-in, it can be from any situation. We can defend the action better, and today we haven't done it; we conceded the goal.
“And in the last minutes we have another massive chance with Ricky and Mikel to win, which I think we deserve to do. But it didn't happen, but I think it shows what we've done in the last ten games. Winning them in the manner that we've done it, with clean sheets, missing seven players in the front line. So it shows you how difficult it is.”
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