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Sunderland head coach Régis Le Bris was asked about the transfer future of Bournemouth defender Chris Mepham recently
Sunderland head coach Régis Le Bris says it is “too early” to talk about the transfer future of Bournemouth loanee Chris Mepham.
The centre-back signed for the Black Cats on loan from Premier League club Bournemouth last summer and has cemented himself as a vital cog in head coach Le Bris’ defence, with Sunderland pushing for promotion in the Championship.
The defender’s current contract runs out during the summer. However, Bournemouth do hold an option to extend the deal for another year after signing Mepham for £12million from Brentford in 2019. The top-flight side are expected to trigger the clause to recoup some money for the Wales international.
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“He is a big part of the team. Like Browney, he is very important in the squad,” Le Bris told the media when asked about Mepham recently. “He has more experiences and they share these experiences with their behaviours. The way they connect with different situations, I think this maturity is very useful. But it's difficult to measure.
“It's too early to define what will happen next season. The group is in a really good place,” Le Bris added when asked about Mepham’s future beyond the summer. “We will see at the end of the season. Sometimes you would like to keep the same and if you keep the same next season it could be worse or it could be even better. We don't know, it's too early.”
Recent reports have suggested that Bournemouth do not see the player as part of their long-term plans and that he will indeed leave come the summer, regardless. It has also been claimed that Sunderland will face intense competition for Mepham’s permanent signature, with Championship rivals Leeds United and Sheffield United previously credited with an interest.
Speaking after the game against Cardiff, however, Mepham said joining Sunderland next summer was a “possibility” but also added he would have to asses his options.
What did Chris Mepham say about his transfer future and Sunderland?
“For me, it's about ticking these next 10 games off,” Mepham said when asked if he would like to stay at Sunderland recently. “We have important Wales games coming up in the summer, and I'm sure those conversations will happen at some point. For me, I'm trying to stay in the here and now and help this team get back to where we belong.”
Asked if it was difficult not to think about his next move in the summer, Mepham said: “Of course, it does play on your mind naturally. As humans, we do look to the future. For me, it's been no different, and you do look at options that might be available to you in the summer. It's also important to focus on the now.”
Related topics:Regis Le BrisBournemouth
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