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See the full story · 1 sourcesLeverkusen, Germany - April 22: Ernest Poku of Bayer 04 Leverkusen looks on during the DFB Cup Semifinal match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and FC Bayern Munchen at BayArena on April 22, 2026 in Leverkusen, Germany. (Photo by Marcel ter Bals/DeFodi Images/DeFodi via Getty Images) | DeFodi Images via Getty Images
According to fresh reports from German media publication Bild , Sunderland are attempting to lure Ernest Poku from Bayer Leverkusen to Wearside. The 22-year-old winger, who only made the move from AZ Alkmaar to Leverkusen last season, could be allowed to leave as Die Werkself look to reshape their squad.
Nottingham Forest have also reportedly shown interest in the young Dutchman and, with Leverkusen reportedly willing to discuss an exit for a fee of around €25 million, it seems a move to the Premier League could be in his future.
Below, we take a deeper look into Ernest Poku, who he is, and what he would bring to Wearside.
Who is Ernest Poku?
Born in Hamburg, Germany, but representing the Netherlands internationally, Ernest Poku is a dynamic 22-year-old winger currently on the books at Bundesliga heavyweights Bayer Leverkusen.
Poku made his professional breakthrough in the Netherlands through the renowned AZ Alkmaar youth pipeline. After making over 50 appearances for Jong AZ in the Eerste Divisie and starring in their 2022/23 UEFA Youth League-winning campaign, he earned a permanent promotion to AZ’s senior squad.
His raw pace, directness and versatility across both flanks earned him a high-profile move to Bayer Leverkusen ahead of the 2025/26 season, where he made 45 appearances, scoring five goals and registering eight assists in all competitions.
Poku also clocked a recorded speed of 35.56 km/h (or 94 pace on FC26, for a “FIFA conversion”) during last season’s Bundesliga campaign. That would put him at a similar pace to Wilson Isidor and comfortably among the top 20 fastest players in the Premier League, according to Opta’s recorded statistics from last season.
On the international stage, Poku has been a mainstay throughout the Dutch youth set-up, earning 14 caps and scoring five goals for the Netherlands Under-21s. Naturally right-footed, Poku can operate on either wing, as a wing-back, or as an attacking midfielder, relying on his explosive acceleration to stretch defensive lines.
What Do His Stats Suggest?
Technically right-footed, Poku is primarily deployed as a right winger, but his tactical flexibility allows him to play on the left or as a second striker in a two-man front line.
With Poku possessing bags of pace, it is easy to see why he excels during transition play and counter-attacks. Leaning on his raw speed and progressive carries into the penalty area to unbalance defences, he is an effective ball carrier who can help drive the team up the pitch.
Across last season’s Bundesliga campaign, Poku scored five goals (from an xG of 3.05) and registered five assists (from an xA of 4.32), averaging a goal contribution every 148 minutes (82nd percentile).
Diving further into what makes an effective winger, we need to look at his dribbling. Poku sits in the 81st percentile for completed dribbles (1.70 per 90) and also ranks in the 91st percentile for touches in the opposition box (6.37 per 90). He also ranks extremely highly for Progressive Actions (7.64 per 90, 91st percentile), Progressive Carries (5.76 per 90, 97th percentile) and Carries into the Final Third (3.03 per 90, 93rd percentile).
Crucially, Poku’s dribbling is functional rather than cosmetic. A high percentage of his successful take-ons qualify as productive dribbles, meaning the take-on directly enables a subsequent key action, such as a progressive pass, a deep carry into the box, a shot attempt or a shot assist.
Defensively, there are areas for improvement. Poku doesn’t win many aerial duels (15th percentile) and can also improve his ground duel success (18th percentile). These statistics improve significantly when looking at his Champions League performances, with both metrics increasing to the 60th and 36th percentiles respectively, suggesting his domestic Bundesliga role requires him to defend less while also showing he is capable of increasing his defensive output when needed.
That being said, Poku regularly contributes defensively, averaging 0.62 clearances per 90 (74th percentile), while also recording a combined tackles and interceptions figure of 1.35 per 90 (54th percentile). These numbers also improve when compared with his Champions League performances, rising to 3.04 per 90 (68th percentile).
The Verdict
Reaction to these reports has been mixed at best across social media, with many Sunderland fans feeling underwhelmed by the reported interest.
Whilst Ernest Poku is not the finished article, the reported fee is relatively modest at around €25 million, and he has only recently turned 22, meaning he still has plenty of room for growth and development.
Poku also outperformed every Sunderland attacker in terms of goal contributions last season, aside from Enzo Le Fée (when including Enzo’s penalties). Yes, the Bundesliga and Premier League present different challenges, but Poku wasn’t producing these numbers for the Xhaka-led, title-winning, domestically unbeaten Leverkusen side of previous seasons. The Leverkusen team he impressed in last season was one in transition after selling key players such as Granit Xhaka, Jonathan Tah and Florian Wirtz.
In summary, at 22 years of age, with Champions League and Bundesliga experience already behind him, Poku fits Sunderland’s recruitment model of targeting elite young talent with significant resale potential. Whilst his defensive work requires refinement, his directness, top-flight productivity and exceptional athletic ceiling make him an intriguing proposition for a move to Wearside this summer.
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