Sunderland made a late attempt to sign homegrown winger Kasey McAteer on a loan-to-buy deal before the transfer window closed, but Leicester City rejected the offer.
The Black Cats proposed a loan move with a mandatory purchase clause for a fee below £8 million, but City declined, and no further negotiations took place.
Leicester manager Ruud van Nistelrooy was firm in his stance, deeming McAteer “a very important part” of their survival campaign and insisting that selling him was “impossible,” particularly without securing reinforcements. Since joining the club, van Nistelrooy has prioritized signing a new winger to cover for the injured Abdul Fatawu and was unwilling to weaken his squad further.
“I was clear from the start—nobody would leave unless we brought someone in,” van Nistelrooy explained. “I want to strengthen the squad, not deplete it. That was unthinkable for me.”
McAteer had a promising start under van Nistelrooy, featuring in the first three matches before suffering an injury. Although he has yet to regain a starting spot, he has made substitute appearances in four of the last six games. Currently, he and Stephy Mavididi are waiting for opportunities while Jordan Ayew and Bobby De Cordova-Reid occupy the starting winger roles.
“Kasey performed excellently against West Ham and Brighton, helping us secure four crucial points,” van Nistelrooy said. “It was unfortunate he got injured at a time when he was in top form. He’s working hard, training well, and competing with the other wingers. We need depth because anything can happen in the coming months.”
