Sunderland AFC has confirmed the signing of 22‑year‑old Dutch goalkeeper Robin Roefs from Eredivisie outfit NEC Nijmegen on a five‑year contract, in a deal that establishes a new record out‑going fee for the Nijmegen club.
The Premier League club will pay an initial €10.5 million, with potential add‑on clauses lifting the total to €13.5 million, along with a sell‑on percentage – a figure that comfortably eclipses NEC’s previous transfer record of €5.5 million for Magnus Mattsson to FC Copenhagen in 2024.
For NEC, whose annual operating costs hover around €20 million, the Roefs deal provides an irresistible windfall and validates the upward trajectory of their youth system.
As sporting director Carlos Aalbers commented: “De belangrijkste bijdrage is echter geleverd door Robin Roefs zelf, door dagelijks aan zijn ontwikkeling te werken en keihard te trainen. We zijn trots op Robin en wensen hem heel veel succes bij Sunderland in de Premier League, de beste competitie ter wereld.”
“The most important contribution was made by Robin Roefs himself, working daily on his development and training tremendously hard. We are proud of Robin and wish him every success at Sunderland in the Premier League, the best competition in the world.”
Roefs joins Sunderland in time to become part of their ambitious revival under manager Régis Le Bris and new sporting director Florent Ghisolfi.
He becomes the club’s eighth signing of the summer window, following arrivals such as Granit Xhaka, Simon Adingra, Noah Sadiki, Reinildo, Enzo Le Fée, Chemsdine Talbi and Habib Diarra, as Sunderland gear up for their return to the top flight after an eight‑year hiatus.
The spotlight now shines on whether Roefs, who arrives amid competition from Anthony Patterson, Sunderland’s hero from the Championship play‑off final, can quickly stake his claim for the no. 1 shirt.
Patterson’s injury issues earlier in pre‑season have opened the door for the Dutchman and Le Bris has hinted that Roefs is “ready to challenge” in first‑team training ahead of their Premier League opener against West Ham United on August 16.
Roefs, whose towering frame (1.93 m) and left‑footed distribution impressed analysts previously linked with Ajax, Napoli and Lille, said: “Joining such a big Club with a rich history is a proud moment for me, and I’m excited for the challenge ahead in the Premier League. Last season was my first real experience as a senior goalkeeper, and I was happy with how it went, especially with the stats at the end of the campaign. To be part of this journey at a Club like Sunderland is really special, and I’m looking forward to the campaign ahead.”
Roefs’ rise has been rapid. Born in Heeswijk in the Netherlands, he began his footballing journey at local side vv Heeswijk when he was five, before joining NEC’s academy in 2014.
He signed his first professional contract in April 2023 and made his Eredivisie debut in September the same year in a 3‑0 home win against FC Utrecht, stepping in for an injured Jasper Cillessen.
Elevated to first‑choice keeper after Cillessen moved to Las Palmas in early 2024, Roefs went on to make 32 league appearances in 2024‑25, keeping 10 clean sheets, playing a pivotal role in NEC’s eighth‑place finish and qualification for the 2025‑26 Europa Conference League.
Internationally, he has been capped by the Netherlands Under‑21s, featuring ten times, including a standout role at this summer’s Under‑21 European Championship where the Dutch reached the semi‑finals, bowing out to eventual winners England.
Stats agency data ranks Roefs among the top five goalkeepers in Europe’s top six leagues last season for goals prevented (goals that he was expected to concede but kept out).
At Sunderland he will be reunited with former Stoke City loanee Blondy Nna Noukeu and Simon Moore in the goalkeeping ranks, reinforcing what has been a clear focus for Le Bris and Ghisolfi: building a robust spine to sustain Premier League status.
The signing also reflects Sunderland’s growing footprint in the European market, with a transfer spend approaching €150 million already and ambition now fully focused on survival and consolidation in England’s top tier.
From NEC’s perspective, the Roefs sale could fund a host of reinforcements. Jasper Cillessen, returned from Las Palmas, has re‑signed at Goffertstadion as the immediate Roefs replacement, though NEC will no doubt brace for further departures in the coming days as value in their scouting pipeline is realised.
The success of this transaction—both sporting and financial—represents a landmark in NEC’s academy trajectory.
For Roefs personally, the move delivers on a dream transition from academy hopeful to Premier League starter; something he hinted at after extending his NEC contract until 2028.