Rasheed📰 Sunderland Resumes Talks with Agent from Di Canio-Era Controversy
Sunderland AFC is reportedly engaging in renewed discussions with an agent whose previous involvement with the club was central to one of the Black Cats’ most controversial periods: the Paolo Di Canio managerial tenure.
While Di Canio’s 2013 appointment itself was highly divisive due to his political statements, the subsequent transfer spree—often referred to as a “Hall of Shame”—was defined by his close relationship with agent Roberto De Fanti, who became the club’s Director of Football.
De Fanti oversaw the signing of 14 largely untested foreign players, many of whom proved to be disastrous signings, draining the club’s finances and contributing heavily to its subsequent relegation from the Premier League. The most controversial outcome was the long-running legal dispute over the signing of Ricky Álvarez, for which Sunderland ultimately had to pay Inter Milan around £10 million.
The current talks are not directly linked to De Fanti himself, but with an agent from the same professional network involved in the transfers of several key players from that era. For fans, any dealings with figures connected to the 2013 summer instantly raises painful questions about due diligence and financial prudence.
Sources suggest the club’s current owners are attempting to leverage the agent’s contacts for specific targets in the European market. The dialogue underscores the delicate balance Sunderland must strike between efficient, wide-reaching recruitment and avoiding the perceived influence of controversial figures that almost bankrupted the club a decade ago.
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