Chris Mepham’s contract and transfer situation explained plus what the player and Régis Le Bris have said
Sunderland loanee Chris Mepham played a key role in the club’s Championship play-off final win over Sheffield United at Wembley, stepping up early to replace injured captain Luke O’Nien.
The 26-year-old Wales international arrived at the Stadium of Light on deadline day from Bournemouth, with sporting director Kristjaan Speakman and head of recruitment Stuart Harvey identifying the experienced centre-back as a crucial addition to bolster the club’s defensive options.
That decision proved pivotal. With early injuries to Aji Alese and Dan Ballard disrupting Sunderland’s backline, Mepham’s experience and composure became increasingly important. While Régis Le Bris rotated his defensive options throughout the play-off campaign, Mepham featured prominently and was instrumental in helping guide the club through the high-pressure moments of the 2024-25 season.
Here, though, we take a look at Mepham’s contract and transfer situation as it stands with Sunderland fans already hopeful that the club can sign thedefender permanently after winningpromotion to thePremier League:
How long does Chris Mepham have on his contract at Bournemouth?
The defender’s contract at Premier League club Bournemouth is set to expire this summer. However, the Cherries hold an option to extend the deal by another year should they choose to do so. Mepham signed for Bournemouth from Brentford for a fee thought to be around £12million back in 2019.
Given his excellent campaign for Sunderland, it is unlikely that his parent club will let him leave for nothing when they have the option to extend his contract and potentially recoup a fee. It is also, of course, possible that Mepham returns to Bournemouth and pushes for a first-team place in the Premier League.
What has Chris Mepham said about his future?
“Yeah, I don't want to look too far ahead,” Mepham said when asked about signing for Sunderland permanently after his loan this season. “I think, naturally you keep it week by week because a lot can happen in a short period of time.
“Like I said, I think the most important thing for me at this stage of my career is just playing football and getting regular game time which is something I've probably missed over the last couple of years.
“I think all that will look after itself but I think for me the most important thing is just getting game time, staying fit and staying injury-free. Of course, the most important thing is helping the team and trying to do as best I can for the football club.”
"You do look at options that might be available to you in the summer," Mepham added later in the season. "It's also important to focus on the now. I've made it clear I love playing my football here. I love my connection I've made with my teammates and the staff and fans, and if it's a possibility in the summer it's definitely one I'd be open to. But a lot has to happen before that."
What has head coach Le Bris said about Mepham?
Le Bris has praised Mepham several times this season. “It’s certainly not difficult to manage this type of player," Le Bris said after Sunderland defeated Hull City away earlier this campaign. "He plays for the team, he has very good experience and is very important in the dressing room and on the pitch, individually and with the others. It is like a gift for a coach and a team like us. His maturity is very helpful for us."
"It's too early to define what will happen next season," said Le Bris added in March. "The group is in a really good place. 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."
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