'Not Dead': Sunderland Fans Given Major Dayann Methalie Update After Failed Medical

Sunderland supporters have been told that the move for Toulouse left-back Dayann Methalie is 'not dead', despite the French youth international failing part of his medical on Wearside on Monday afternoon.

Earlier in the week, bombshell reports emerged that Methalie had failed his Sunderland medical ahead of a £25.7m switch from the Ligue 1 side, with further outlets indicating that it was an issue with his back, which has put the move in serious jeopardy.

As a result, Methalie has flown back to France for further tests at Toulouse, and now there is a nervous waiting game as to whether the Black Cats' potential second most-expensive transfer to date will be complete, or fall through entirely.

Given that the Stadium of Light transfer team have been pursuing the 20-year-old talent for several weeks now, Sunderland still hopes to complete the move for the highly-rated young full-back, with the latest reports giving the Black Cats faithful hope regarding the move.

With the transfer saga ongoing, it remains to be seen whether Sunderland will continue with the move, attempt to move the goalposts with Toulouse as a result of the medical bombshell, or focus attention on other left-back targets entirely.

However, given that the Black Cats' transfer team have been chasing Methalie for most of the summer window, and have beaten the likes of derby rivals Newcastle United and Serie A giants Roma for his signature, Sunderland will not want to walk away from the £25.7m move.

Now, as the move hangs in the balance, BBC Sport's Sunderland reporter Nick Barnes has offered the Stadium of Light faithful an encouraging update on the Methalie saga, outlining that the Stadium of Light decision-makers still want the French starlet.

Barnes recently told BBC Sport Tyne & Wear: "It's not a deal that's dead. It's a deal that they still want to go through. It's obviously going to take a little bit longer than they would have hoped.

The player himself, I think, was understandably distraught at having flown over here and being very impressed with everything, and then having to go back to France, with Toulouse having to do their own investigation into the issue that's caused this delay.

"I'll call it a delay because the club very much still wants to sign him.

"It's now a question of going through the process in France of that side of the medical and hoping that everything will turn out okay in the end.

Barnes concluded: "The club aren't just going to put a halt to this. They've been tracking, they've been working on this for two and a half months. So, they're heavily invested in signing this player.

"The medical at Sunderland, I understand, is very, very stringent. It's very tough. So, they don't leave any stone unturned.

"So, you factor all that in and the money involved, you know, they're not just going to walk away from this.

"It's just that Toulouse, their medical staff, will now want to, they want to have their own look of what this injury is. But it's by no means a deal that, you know, possibly won't happen.

"You know, whilst it's disappointing and it's annoying and it's frustrating, I think there are encouraging signs that the deal can still be done."

From all parties, there appears to be intent to get the move over the line and see Methalie seal his agreed five-year contract at the Stadium of Light, as the Sunderland supporters continue to wait anxiously for further updates.