French defender closing in on £12m Sunderland switch as fans spot him at the Stadium of Light
Paris Saint-Germain defender Nordi Mukiele has been pictured outside the Stadium of Light as Sunderland close in on a £12million deal for the Frenchman.
Reports from talkSPORT this week claimed that the Black Cats had tabled a bid for the 27-year-old, with fresh images now fuelling belief that an agreement is close. If completed, the move would take Sunderland’s summer spending to nearly £150million as Régis Le Bris strengthens his squad ahead of the Premier League season opener against West Ham United.
Mukiele, who spent last season on loan at Bayer Leverkusen, made 15 Bundesliga appearances for Xabi Alonso’s side. Though minutes were limited, the versatile defender has vast experience at the highest level, including spells at Montpellier, RB Leipzig and PSG, as well as Champions League football.
Capable of operating at both right-back and centre-back, Mukiele has been identified as a key target due to his ability to provide cover across Sunderland’s defence. His arrival would also reunite him with former Leverkusen teammate Granit Xhaka, who was named Sunderland captain earlier this summer. With Mukiele now seen in Sunderland, confirmation of the deal is expected soon.
What did Régis Le Bris say after Sunderland vs West Ham?
Head coach Régis Le Bris hailed Sunderland’s players after their 3-0 victory over West Ham United but warned that humility and togetherness must remain central to their Premier League campaign.
The Black Cats returned to the top flight in style on Saturday, with second-half goals from Eliezer Mayenda, Dan Ballard and Wilson Isidor sealing their first Premier League win in over eight years.
Le Bris was delighted with the way his players responded to half-time instructions after a challenging first half and praised their ability to execute the gameplan. He also revealed that captain Granit Xhaka addressed the squad post-match to stress the importance of staying united.
“I'm happy for the fans and the players and the club,” Le Bris said. “We had different phases of pre-season and we spoke about the layers we needed to add. It was obvious that it starts from the foundations – we showed that the team is working well.
He adde: “They were hard to beat in a mid to low block. The first half was a bit more difficult but during the second half we felt we could get opportunities through regains in the middle and that we could score through counter attacks.
“We didn't change many important things at half time. We spoke a bit about their goalkeeper restarts and our high press, we went for man for man and they found two or three opportunities with long balls. So it was really important to be strong in duels. We made just two or three little decisions, and it made a difference.”
Le Bris was also keen to highlight that Sunderland’s three goals came from players who were already at the club last season, despite a summer of heavy recruitment. “It's really important for two reasons, they showed they can step up [first and foremost],” he said.
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“We'll see later, but today it was the case. And it's really important because they keep the identity of the club and the way we worked last season. We built this strength about togetherness, the way we work as a team. The players worked well as a team and they showed that again today.”
The Frenchman added that while the opening-day victory was a proud moment for everyone connected to the club, Sunderland would remain focused on the long campaign ahead.
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