Gus Poyet warns that he has the final say on transfers at Sunderland

Gus Poyet has made it clear there will be problems at Sunderland if he is not given the final say on transfers.

While the manager is happy to be working alongside Roberto De Fanti, the club’s director of football, and Valentino Angeloni, the chief scout, he established his spheres of autonomy during a meeting with the two Italians in London last week when Sunderland’s January transfer-market strategy was planned.

“We talked about a position the other day and considered four players,” Poyet said. “I picked two. It was simple. One of the other two [selected by De Fanti] was a definite no. If that one is coming, I won’t be here. The player has to be the right one for me. If not, I’m not going to accept it.”

He may have said it with a smile on his face but Poyet was keen to establish his working parameters. “The sporting director exists everywhere in the world,” he said.

“I know in England it’s not very common. The manager is normally in charge of everything but I had it at Zaragoza as a player and my situation is clear.

“I met with Roberto and Valentino and said what I think we need. They need to give me the options and I need to pick the ones I like. We need to see if they are available and if they fit into the financial possibilities, then we will move forward.

“I’m sure it’s going to be done in the right way, in the common-sense way. Everyone has a responsibility and then the player has to be the right one for me.”

Paolo Di Canio, Poyet’s predecessor, complained that none of the 14 signings made by De Fanti during the summer were on his shopping list, with Sunderland’s failure to sign Tom Huddlestone from Tottenham Hotspur a particular regret. The current manager is more optimistic about making the new system work.

The former Brighton manager has handed De Fanti a detailed analysis of the existing squad with the column marked "deficiencies" highlighting the need to hit the ground running on January 1st.
Guardian Service