Jules Ahoka earns praise after stepping up in Sunderland’s win over Chelsea

Jules Ahoka made a major impression after being introduced early in Sunderland’s 1-0 Premier League victory over Chelsea, with the 20-year-old midfielder earning praise for his composed performance.

Ahoka came on after only four minutes when Sunderland captain Granit Xhaka was forced off injured. He then played for more than 85 minutes against the London club, helping Sunderland secure only their second Premier League win of the season.

The result lifted Sunderland from the bottom of the table. Enzo Le Fee scored the decisive goal from the penalty spot.

Ahoka’s rapid rise has been remarkable. He joined Royal Antwerp FC in Belgium in 2025 for an estimated €150,000 and initially spent time with the reserve team before being promoted to the first-team squad towards the end of last season.

The midfielder had made only four official appearances for Royal Antwerp FC when Sunderland made a multi-million euro offer to sporting director Marc Overmars. The manager and the Belgian club agreed to the transfer, with Sunderland reportedly paying more than €10m for the player last summer.

That fee made Ahoka one of the most notable transfers in the Belgian league. His move to England came just months after he had been virtually unknown outside Belgium.

Ahoka has since received regular opportunities at Sunderland, although most of his appearances had come from the bench. His chance against Chelsea came unexpectedly after Xhaka’s early injury, but he responded with a performance that attracted widespread attention.

Former Sunderland player Gary Bennett praised the midfielder after the match, telling the Sunderland Echo: “We lost Xhaka early in the game, but credit to Ahoka. He came on and conducted himself like a seasoned professional. He was not fazed at all.”

Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley also highlighted the scale of Ahoka’s achievement.

“I find it difficult to believe that Jules Ahoka had played only four professional matches at the highest level before joining Sunderland this summer for £8.6m,” he said.

“In the first 45 minutes, he dominated the midfield against a team featuring Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, who were signed for a combined £168m, as well as Jordan Henderson, a 91-time England international.”

The comments underline how quickly Ahoka’s standing has changed. A year ago, he was barely known beyond Belgium; now he is making an impression in the Premier League and competing at the highest level in England.