Chelsea and Barcelona made concrete efforts to sign Juan Riquelme Angulo before he completed a move to Sunderland in the summer window.
The 18-year-old’s rise in Ecuador had caught the attention of a few European clubs. This includes Chelsea and Barcelona, while the Black Cats won the battle in the end.
On deadline day, Sunderland completed his signing from Ecuadorian side Independiente del Valle for a reported fee of €4-5.8m.
The striker graduated from Independiente’s youth system and made his way into their first team earlier this year. Operating in his preferred role and also as a winger, he managed seven goals and three assists from 23 matches.
Angulo’s development convinced Chelsea and Barcelona to make advances. Their efforts weren’t successful as Régis Le Bris’ side acquired his signature.
Why Chelsea and Barcelona lost to Sunderland
Radio Diblu took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to report about the Blues and the La Liga winners. The two clubs ‘were close to signing Juan Riquelme Angulo’ prior to his move to the Stadium of Light.
Journalist Andrés Ponce shares more information about Chelsea and Barcelona’s failure to sign the youngster for Radio Diblu.
Both Xabi Alonso’s side and the Spanish champions wanted to sign him and immediately send the attacker out on loan. Sunderland had no plans to sanction a temporary move and wanted to include him Régis Le Bris’ squad.
In fact, Ponce reports the manager’s personal assurance, which would have been key for him to pick Sunderland over Chelsea and Barcelona.
He said: “I was told that Juan Riquelme Angulo had offers from Barca to be loaned to another club.”
“Chelsea were very interested until the very last day he went to Sunderland. They were also in the running to loan him out. From Sunderland, the manager asked for him and said: ‘I’m not going to loan him out, he’s going to be my third striker’.”
Decision to join Sunderland working out
Last month, the player said he fulfilled his dream by securing a move to the Stadium of Light.
Juan Riquelme Angulo featured in Sunderland U21’s win over Norwich City in September. During the last international break, he made his senior debut for Ecuador and scored in their friendly against Panama.
Last weekend, the striker made his Sunderland debut in their league defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion. The recent developments indicate he was right to pick the Black Cats over Chelsea and Hansi Flick’s side.
He’s behind Brian Brobbey and Wilson Isidor in the pecking order and has to settle for a limited role in his debut season.
“El Barça y Chelsea estuvieron cerca de llevarse a Juan Riquelme Angulo”
@AndresPonce28: “Me contaron que Juan Riquelme Angulo tenía ofertas del Barça para prestarlo a otro club. El Chelsea estuvo muy interesado hasta el último día que se fue al Sunderland; estuvieron ahí atrás también para prestarlo. Desde el Sunderland, el técnico lo pidió y dijo: ‘No lo voy a prestar, va a ser mi tercer delantero’”.
— Radio Diblu (@RadioDibluFM) October 14, 2026
