Sunderland have the option to sign Barnsley’s Callum Styles on a permanent transfer deal this summer. The 24-year-old midfielder was an unused substitute in Hungary’s 3-1 loss to Switzerland in their Euro 2024 opener.
Styles spent the 2023/24 season on loan at Sunderland, making 12 Championship appearances. Though he has played 22 times for Hungary, qualifying through his mother’s heritage, he did not feature against Switzerland. He recently picked up an injury during a friendly win over Israel but reassured fans on Instagram, stating, “Good preparation. Thankfully the injury is not serious. See you in Germany. Go Hungary.” Hungary now prepares for their match against hosts Germany on Wednesday, followed by their final Group A game against Scotland on June 23. Meanwhile, Sunderland is considering exercising their option to sign Styles, who has primarily played as a central midfielder for Barnsley and Hungary but was often used as a left-back or wing-back at Sunderland.
In an interview with FourFourTwo in May, Styles discussed his club and international aspirations, reflecting on his time with Sunderland. “We’ve gone through two managers this season, so it’s been a rocky road,” he said. “But after nine or 10 matches, I started to enjoy my time, and the supporters are so passionate. It’s a top club.” Regarding his future, he added, “I haven’t really thought about it, as I’ve been focusing on playing. Sunderland have Premier League ambitions, so I’d love to stay longer, but there are lots of factors that could result in different scenarios. We’ll see.”
His immediate goal is to play minutes at the Euros and help Hungary progress beyond the group stage, where the tournament’s more critical matches begin.