
Key strength: Shot-stopping
Shot-stopper
Sunderland AFC sit 10th in the table, navigating a transitional season where youth development takes center stage. Enter Robin Roefs: the 23-year-old Dutch goalkeeper who represents a bold €18m investment in the club's future. Despite just one Premier League appearance so far, Roefs' commanding 1.93m frame and left-footed distribution hint at a modern sweeper-keeper profile. His aggressive approach - evidenced by two yellow cards in a single outing - shows he's not afraid to command his area, though discipline may need refining. Roefs faces stiff competition from established shot-stoppers, but with teammates like Joe Anderson (70-rated) and Dennis Cirkin (70-rated) marshalling the defense ahead of him, the platform exists for the Dutchman to claim the number one spot. His shot-stopping instincts and physical attributes suggest Sunderland have secured a goalkeeper capable of anchoring their backline for years to come.