Sunderland are stepping up their pursuit of Toulouse full-back Dayann Methalie with the Black Cats reaching an agreement with the highly-rated defender on a five-year contract.
Sunderland are closing in on their second signing of the summer, the first with a transfer fee, in the form of highly-rated Toulouse full-back Dayann Methalie.
Reports emerged earlier in July that Sunderland were interested in signing Methalie in the summer transfer window, following the French youth international's impressive first full senior season for the Ligue 1 outfit.
Earlier in the window, Sunderland signed veteran defender Thomas Meunier as a free agent to fill the right full-back slot, and now the Black Cats are set to add one of the most promising young left full-backs in European football to Regis Le Bris' ranks.
RMC Sport reporter Fabrice Hawkins recently revealed on X that Sunderland have reached an agreement with Methalie and his camp on a five-year contract, and that club-to-club talks between the Black Cats and Toulouse are now ongoing to finalise the transfer.
The report indicates that the 20-year-old could become the most expensive sale in Toulouse's history, and may be one of the biggest transfer outlays from the Stadium of Light hierarchy since the return to the Premier League last summer.
Toulouse Transfer Value For Sunderland Target Dayann Methalie Revealed
Hawkins' report adds that Toulouse value Methalie "at around €30m", currently converted to around £25.6m, which would constitute a significant investment from the Sunderland transfer team to secure Methalie's signature.
However, given his prospective importance to Le Bris' squad and his potential for development, that fee would certainly be worth it from Sunderland.
Within this summer transfer window, the left full-back role has been a standout area of Le Bris' squad that the Sunderland recruitment team sought to invest heavily in, with Dennis Cirkin departing as a free agent this summer and outcast Arthur Masuaku almost certain to leave amid interest from Turkish club Konyaspor.
Therefore, with the Black Cats boss left with ex-Atletico Madrid stalwart Reinildo as his only senior trademark left-back, Sunderland's signing of Methalie would solve a glaring squad issue for Le Bris heading into next season.
| Key Statistic | Dayann Methalie in 25/26 for Toulouse |
|---|---|
| Games | 31 |
| Goals/Assists | 2/1 |
Reinildo was a key figure in Sunderland's defence last term, but the experienced defender will turn 33 midway through next season, and the Black Cats have pursued the Toulouse product as his long-term successor at left-back.
Methalie also offers Le Bris a different profile of player on the left side of the defence, with the 20-year-old being more of an attacking-minded full-back in comparison to Reinildo, having featured heavily as a left wing-back for Toulouse last term.
If Sunderland can get the £25m deal over the line for the promising talent, who arch-rivals Newcastle United were interested in earlier this year, then they will have acquired one of the most promising young left-backs in European football and superbly solved a troubling squad issue in the process.
