Sunderland AFC has completed the signing of Congolese sensation Noah Sadiki from Belgian Pro League Champions Union Saint-Gilloise.
The 20-year-old midfielder joins for a reported €17m fixed fee plus a further €3m in add-ons. The youngster arrives after a hugely successful season, having played an integral role in USG’s maiden Belgian Pro League title triumph and bagging a Champions League qualification spot for Les Unionistes.
A product of the renowned RSC Anderlecht Academy, Sadiki burst onto the scene with the senior side as a fullback, and his performances convinced Union SG to acquire his services permanently in summer 2023. He became a first-team regular in no time, slotting calmly into midfield positions for USG.
In his debut season, he clinched the Belgian Cup as USG missed out heartbreakingly on the Belgian Pro League title by a single point. They shook off their disappointment, clinched a maiden Belgian Super Cup title at the start of the 2024/2025 season, and ended the season as Belgian Champions for the first time in 90 years. Sadiki was named the February Jupiler Pro League Player of the Month and was deservedly included in the Belgian Pro League Team of the Year.
Expressing his eagerness to hit the ground running in England, Sadiki said:
“What convinced me was the project that they had for me. The owner wanted to talk to me after the research they had done on me. Sunderland is a big club in England. I’m really happy to have made my decision. They talked to me about their history, what they wanted to build, and their belief in the part that I can play. I will bring duels, forward runs, passion, and track back. Above all else, I want to win – and I carry this desire with me every time I step onto the field. This is my team now.”
Sadiki is composed and intelligent on the ball, exhibiting maturity beyond his years. He is blessed with a vast repertoire of skills and can do a bit of everything excellently. Versatile and capable of playing in different midfield positions and full-back, his experience in European competitions will be an added bonus for The Black Cats. His signing has been regarded as a steal for Sunderland.
The Belgian native represented Belgium at the youth levels but switched his allegiance to the Democratic Republic of Congo at the senior levels. He already has nine caps for the Congolese side. Sadiki is the second African to sign for the newly promoted Premier League Club this summer, following in the footsteps of Habib Diarra.
