£20m-rated Monaco defender Wilfried Singo turns down summer move to play Champions League football
Sunderland’s interest in Wilfried Singo has come to nothing, with the Monaco defender deciding to remain with the Ligue 1 club despite interest from both the Black Cats and Turkish giants Galatasaray
The Ivorian international, who has been heavily linked with a Premier League move this summer, is understood to be keen on continuing his career in the Champions League with Monaco – a competition he recently made his debut in during a 5-1 victory over Red Star Belgrade.
Journalist Sacha Tavolieri reported that both Sunderland and Galatasaray had made moves for the 24-year-old, who can operate as a right-back, wing-back, or even centre-half. But Singo, who joined Monaco last August from Torino, has reportedly rejected those proposals in favour of staying in the principality.
The Black Cats, newly promoted to the Premier League, are in the market for defensive reinforcements following injury issues during pre-season. With European experience, physicality, and versatility, Singo, rated at £20million, had emerged as a strong candidate to strengthen Régis Le Bris’ back line.
Champions League ambitions trump Premier League move
Singo’s decision to stay at Monaco comes after a standout year in Ligue 1. The 6ft 1in defender made 52 appearances across all competitions for the club during the 2023-24 campaign, scoring twice. He has started the new season in strong form, adding six Champions League appearances to his name – including two goals.
His current contract with Monaco runs until 2028, and his growing influence at the Stade Louis-II made him a difficult target to prise away. Sunderland’s interest was real, but not enough to outweigh the prospect of Champions League football.
For Sunderland, missing out on Singo is a blow, but not an unexpected one. The club remains active in the market, with sporting director Kristjaan Speakman and new transfer chief Florent Ghisolfi working to deliver top-level talent with resale potential and immediate Premier League readiness. The Black Cats are thought to be interested in defensive reinforcements with just Dan Ballard and Jenson Seelt currently fit in the centre of defence.
A player of pedigree and potential
Singo has long been viewed as one of Africa’s most promising full-backs. A product of Denguélé’s academy in Ivory Coast, he was picked up by Torino in 2019 and made his professional debut under Walter Mazzarri that summer in the UEFA Europa League.
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Initially used as a centre-back, he soon transitioned to a right-back role and notched up 109 senior appearances for Torino before his €10million switch to Monaco. Internationally, Singo has been a regular for the Ivory Coast national team since 2021 and was part of the squad that won the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations on home soil. He also featured in the 2020 Olympic Games.
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