Sunderland have a big decision to make as they weigh up a possible permanent deal for Chris Mepham
At first glance, it’s a transfer that just makes sense.
Chris Mepham made 40 appearances last season, a crucial figure both on and off the pitch as Sunderland booked their place back in the Premier League. The 27-year-old is widely expected to leave Bournemouth this summer, having struggled to force his way into the team on a regular basis over the last couple of seasons. A proven operator, already settled within the team and club, available for a permanent move. Just get it done, right? If Sunderland’s sporting director Kristjaan Speakman had appeared a little coy when discussing the topic last week, then Bournemouth’s retained list published on Monday went some way to explaining why. Mepham will not, as had initially looked to be the case, be a free agent this summer. As he had alluded to himself earlier in the season, Bournemouth held an option to extend his contract for another season and his inclusion on the club’s retained list for the 2025/26 campaign indicated that they have indeed taken that up. It changes the picture in an instant as for Mepham to depart this summer, a fee will be required. And that means Sunderland have to weigh up whether the deal represents good value for the long term.
Bournemouth’s move doesn’t fundamentally change the picture in that Mepham will likely leave this summer, and that he has only one year left to run on his deal means the Cherries will have to be relatively realistic about what kind of fee they can recoup. Even so, their understandable intention to get a return on the reported £12 million they paid Brentford to sign the defender is a signal that it will not be a straightforward deal to conclude.
Sunderland, clearly, will be interested in signing Mepham this summer. He was an integral part of Sunderland’s team last season, a regular for Régis Le Bris as Dan Ballard and Aji Alese battled injury issues for large parts of the campaign. His performances were excellent. Even if at one stage of the season he dropped out of the XI as some understandable fatigue seemed to creep into his game, he rallied strongly when Ballard suffered another injury in February. That he was able to play a crucial role in Sunderland’s play-off final success when introduced just minutes into the game was testament to his attitude, professionalism and experience. Le Bris is a huge fan, and believes the central defender epitomises the culture he wants at the Academy of Light. In the early weeks following Mepham’s arrival, the Sunderland head coach enthused about his attitude behind the scenes, noting how quickly he took accountability for mistakes in team meetings and demonstrating to his younger team mates the importance of not making excuses.
His team mates, too, love him. Romaine Mundle described him ahead of the play-offs as an ‘unbelievable’ man. Dan Neil praised the support he offered in the dressing room after dropping to the bench for those semi finals, highlighting what a key member of the group he was.
“We’ve said this in the changing room a lot — it’s not just about the starting XI, it’s about the subs, the lads not in the squad, the staff, everyone plays a huge part,” Neil explained.
“Chris is the biggest example of that. He’s an unbelievable character — funny, gets on with everyone, runs quiz nights on away games, plays card games. Little things like that, but you don’t realise how much it brings the lads together.”
There’s no doubt, though, that Le Bris’s decision not to go with Mepham initially for those key play-off games leaves a significant question mark for all parties moving into this summer window. Mepham proved himself to be an excellent defender last season, on so many occasions showing his awareness and bravery to make big blocks and last-ditch tackles. Yet Le Bris preferred the blend of Ballard and O’Nien when he was forced to pick from the three, the former having the edge in terms of pace and aerial dominance and the latter in what he brings in terms of his build-up play.
Going into the Premier League environment, Sunderland will be looking to add more pace and more power to their backline. They prefer a lean squad to ensure every player feels they have a realistic pathway to the first team, and won’t want to stockpile players in any one position. You can see why they won’t rush into a decision on Mepham, particularly if signing him does mean a multi-million pound commitment.
Chris Mepham’s big summer transfer decision considered
You also have to consider this from Mepham’s perspective. The whole reason why he moved to Sunderland last season was to play regularly. He has spent time as a Premier League squad player, and may not feel particularly inclined to face another campaign without regular starts. Given Le Bris’s decisions last season when everyone is fit, he’ll be aware that this could be a possibility. All of this is particularly important ahead of the upcoming season, as Wales have a real shot at qualifying for the World Cup and playing regularly would give the defender a massive chance at being a starter in that team if they get there.
At this stage, Mepham is on Sunderland’s transfer shortlist and it’s clear that the defender would be open to returning to a club where he has forged a strong connection over the past campaign. There’s every chance a deal can be done and it would be no surprise if it happened somewhere down the line, but for now both parties have to take some time to weigh up their options. What made for such a fruitful partnership over the course of the last campaign won’t necessarily be the case next season, and both Mepham and Sunderland need to make sure they’re in agreement before anything can proceed.
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