(Credit: Imago)

Oliver Walton

Sun 3 August 2025 16:10, UK

Premier League new-boys Sunderland look set to let one of their outcasted strikers leave this summer as Marc Guiu gets ready to move to the Wearside club from Chelsea.

Sunderland have agreed a 'special' deal - 'imagine what it'll be like when they play Newcastle'	'Sunderland set to make brutal Dan Neil decision following transfer breakthrough'	Granit Xhaka sends passionate message after Sunderland debut

Guiu joined Chelsea from Barcelona last summer after they activated a €6million (£5.2m) release clause in his contract [The Athletic] and tied him down to a six-year deal at Stamford Bridge.

The 19-year-old striker had only featured seven times for Barca’s first-team when he departed the club, and while he was handed 16 appearances by Enzo Maresca last season, he mainly only played in Conference League and cup games.

Guiu netted six times in those outings, but with a lack of regular game-time likely under Maresca after Chelsea brought in Liam Delap from Ipswich Town and signed Joao Pedro from Brighton, he looks set to leave on loan this summer.

Ipswich were believed to be targeting Guiu following their relegation to the Championship, and Fabrizio Romano recently reported that Chelsea had a “clear priority” for him to stay and play in England next season, with a move to the Black Cats now seemingly on the horizon.

(Credit Imago)

Guiu was a part of Chelsea’s CWC-winning squad in the USA, which speaks to how highly-rated he is at the club, but he made just two appearances in their triumph, twice coming off the bench in group games.

MORE FOOTBALL INSIDER STORIES

Transfer guru Romano reported on Thursday (31 July) that Sunderland had agreed a deal to sign Guiu on loan, with no option to buy clause included as he remains a part of the West London outfit’s long-term plans.

Sky Sports’ Keith Downie confirmed on Sunday (3 August) that the Spaniard was set to fly into the north-east of England and undergo a medical ahead of his move to the Black Cats, so barring any late complications, he is due to confirmed as a new Sunderland player in the coming days.

His arrival will massively bolster Regis Le Bris’ attacking ranks ahead of the Wearside club’s return to the top-flight after eight years away, with Wilson Isidor and Eliezer Mayenda both vying for starting places up-front as it stands.

Neither of those players boast the top-flight and European experience that Guiu does, so the 19-year-old could well find himself as Sunderland’s main centre-forward as they aim to survive in the Premier League in the upcoming campaign.

His arrival is also sure to start a domino effect of outgoings for those on the fringes of Le Bris’ squad, with young Portuguese striker Luis Semedo the most likely of their outcasted strikers to make a move away in the next month.

(Credit Hasan Karim, Breaking Media)

If Guiu is signed and sealed within the next week, then Sunderland can start to look at getting rid of former Benfica youngster Semedo following his tough two years on Wearside.

Semedo spent eight years in Benfica’s youth set-up, and was a highly-rated talent in his home country, but left the Portuguese giants in 2023 to join the Black Cats on a free transfer, signing a five-year deal and taking the number nine shirt at the Stadium of Light under Tony Mowbray.

Semedo failed to score or assist throughout the whole of his maiden Sunderland season, and so made an unusual loan move to Juventus‘ ‘Next Gen’ last summer, which serves as reserve team to the Italian giants’ senior side.

AppearancesStartsGoalsAssists23400Semedo’s Sunderland career stats

21-year-old Semedo scored twice in 27 Serie C games for Juve Next Gen, and they decided against triggering the option to buy in his loan deal [Sunderland Echo] in May, leaving him to return to Wearside with little option to but to try and fight for his place under Le Bris.

He has featured just once in pre-season so far, off the bench against non-league Gateshead, and the impeding arrival of Guiu is surely set to mean that he is allowed to depart this summer with Sunderland clearly having moved on from needing players of his quality in and around their squad.

Related Posts


For more news relating to Chelsea, visit our sister site Chelsea Latest Live.