Sunderland will be playing in the Premier League next season and they know that their recruitment work this summer will need to be spot on to give them a chance of avoiding an instant relegation.
The Black Cats recently confirmed the signing of Enzo Le Fee on a permanent basis from Roma for a club-record fee of £20m as their first addition ahead of their return to the top-flight, after he spent the second half of the 2024/25 campaign on loan with Regis Le Bris' team.
Le Fee showed quality on the ball, with 1.3 dribbles completed per game, but combined that with 2.5 tackles and interceptions per game in his 11 league starts, which suggests that he could thrive in a relegation battle where plenty of defending will be needed.
Enzo-Le-Fee
The French maestro also heads into the Premier League with plenty of experience in Europe's major leagues, with 132 games in Ligue 1 and six matches in the Serie A, which means that he is used to playing at the top level and that is why he could be an excellent signing for the Black Cats.
Sunderland eyeing deal for Premier League defender
Sunderland could repeat the blinder that they have seemingly played with Le Fee, who is an experienced top-flight performer who is already settled in and used to playing for the club, by signing another one of their loan stars.
According to the Northern Echo, the Premier League newcomers are considering a deal to bring Chris Mepham back to the Stadium of Light in the summer transfer window.
The report claims that the Wales international is one of a number of defensive options being weighed up by the board at Sunderland, as they eye up a possible reunion with the Bournemouth centre-back.
Chris-Mepham-Sunderland
It states that there was no obligation for the loan move to be turned into a permanent one this summer, which means that they would have to negotiate a fee with the Cherries.
Why Sunderland should sign Chris Mepham
The Black Cats should swoop to sign Mepham on a permanent basis in the coming weeks because it could be a repeat of their Le Fee blinder.
Like the French star, the 27-year-old colossus would not need any time to settle in because he just played 40 matches on loan at the club in the 2024/25 season.
Chris-Mepham-Sunderland-1
The Welsh titan also has top-flight experience, like Le Fee, having played 61 times in the Premier League for Bournemouth, which means that he knows the division and could provide vital experience to a young team lacking games at that level.
Mepham, who was hailed as "outstanding" by pundit Carlton Palmer, also delivered solid performances for Sunderland when called upon in the Championship this season.
24/25 Championship Chris Mepham
Appearances 38
Pass accuracy 87%
Tackles + interceptions per game 2.3
Clearances per game 6.1
Ground duel success rate 55%
Aerial duel success rate 63%
Clean sheets 11
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the Bournemouth loanee was dominant in his duels and helped the team to keep 11 clean sheets in 38 outings in the second tier.
He also averaged the most clearances per match in the entire squad, ahead of the likes of Luke O'Nien and Dan Ballard, which may be down to his experience and know-how, as he excels at being in the right place at the right time at the heart of the defence.
chris-mepham-bournemouth-premier-league-wales-celtic
Mepham was, therefore, an important player for Sunderland in the Championship and that is why they should press ahead with a deal to sign him on a permanent basis, as a star who knows the club and has Premier League experience under his belt.
Like Le Fee, the 27-year-old brute would hit the ground running on Wearside in the top-flight because of his loan spell at the Stadium of Light and because of the top-flight games that he has played.
Jobe-Bellingham-Sunderland Related
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This Sunderland star is being eyed up by Premier League teams, and his exit would be a bigger blow than Jobe Bellingham's.
It is now down to the club to ensure that they can strike a deal with Bournemouth to bring him back to Sunderland, to join Le Fee as their second signing.