Melker Ellborg: Sunderland’s winter signing has work to do to replace Robin Roefs
Melker Ellborg was seemingly signed as a successor for Robin Roefs, but he has a long way to go before he is ready to fill his boots.
Sunderland’s recruitment team have done some splendid business over the last 12 months, and for that reason alone, Ellborg deserves the time to settle in at his new club.
The Swede has been thrown into the deep end in the absence of Roefs, who has been nothing short of sensational for the Black Cats since his summer move.
However, his form hasn’t gone unnoticed, with several European sides said to be already lining up summer deals for the Dutchman.
And if that were to be the case, have we seen enough from Ellborg to suggest he can be his immediate replacement?
How does Melker Ellborg compare to Robin Roefs?
Not that it will surprise anyone, but Roefs fares signficantly better in just about every aspect of his game than Ellborg, though that says more about his level of quality as opposed to the lack of it from his competitor.
The Dutchman’s 71.4 per cent save percentage has him among the best goalkeepers in the Premier League, as do his eight clean sheets.
| Premier League | Roefs |
| Clean sheets | 8 |
| Saves | 85 |
| High claim | 46 |
| Passes completed | 703 |
Ellborg has only played a handful of games since Roefs picked up an injury, but the biggest difference between the two is their distribution.
Roefs has completed 64 per cent of his attempted passes in the Premier League this season, while Ellborg has completed just 46.9 per cent of his.
As showcased by the Sofascore graphic below, Roefs also averages more touches per game, showcasing not only his composure on the ball, but also perhaps the level of trust his defenders have in him with the ball at his feet.
Ellborg has done some very promising things for Sunderland so far, but as demonstrated above, there is still a long way to go before he reaches the same level as Roefs.
How likely is Roefs to leave Sunderland this summer?
If Roefs keeps up the form that has been a huge factor in Sunderland’s success, then there is every chance that he will leave.
Chelsea have been credited with an interest, but if they were to pursue a deal, it’s believed that Sunderland would want a fee in the region of £50million.
And that wouldn’t be a bad thing.
Clubs looking to make their way up the Premier League often have to sell their best players at a profit to reinvest in more stars for the future, and that may be what the Wearsiders look to do this summer.
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