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Sunderland defender Timothee Pembele is set to put pen to paper on a long-term deal with Le Havre ‘in the coming hours’, after he had a successful loan spell with the club.
The Beaumont-sur-Oise-born defender began his football journey in Paris Saint-Germain’s youth system before joining Sunderland in the summer of 2023.
The 23-year-old has been sent out on loan to Le Havre twice, first on a season-long loan in 2024, and then in the second half of the recent campaign.
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In the recent campaign, the French defender did not make a single appearance for the Black Cats in the Premier League, but on his return to Le Havre, played 15 matches in Ligue 1, though the majority of his appearances came off the bench.
In his previous loan spell with the French outfit, Pembele impressed with his performances in Ligue 1, and Le Havre hailed him for his stellar performances during his loan.
Now, Pembele is expected to sign a permanent long-term deal with Le Havre in the coming hours, according to French sports daily L’Equipe.
It has been suggested that the 23-year-old versatile defender was considered a key target for Le Havre’s management.
Season Position
2025–26 7th
2024–25 4th (Championship; promoted via play‑offs)
2023–24 16th (Championship)
2022–23 6th (Championship)
2021–22 5th (League One; promoted via play‑offs)
However, the details about the permanent signing have not emerged yet, and it is unclear how much Sunderland will receive from Pembele’s departure.
The Black Cats will want to strengthen their own defence for the upcoming campaign, especially with the added pressure of playing in the Europa League.
Regis Le Bris has already made the first signing of the summer transfer window, with the arrival of veteran defender Thomas Muenier on a free transfer.
Besides that, Sunderland have been linked with a few defenders in the transfer market, and the Black Cats ‘are making inroads’ to sign Jhon Lucumi from Bologna.
Sunderland will be looking to make key additions to the squad, and manager Le Bris wants to bring ‘high impact’ players to the Stadium of Light this summer.