Sunderland Fans Look Set For Emotional Farewell With Fan-favourite This Summer

The hangovers of Sunderland supporters who celebrated the Black Cats’ remarkable may have only just shifted, but now attention will turn to the upcoming summer transfer window. 

With Sunderland qualifying for the Europa League next season under Regis Le Bris, the pressure on the Stadium of Light transfer team has heightened even further. 

Increased fixture congestion, higher quality of opponents and travel demands will come as a consequence of Sunderland returning to European football for the first time in over 50 years. 

As a result, every incoming and outgoing on Wearside this summer will be scrutinised by the supporters, who could be set to lose a fan-favourite squad member amid the latest reports. 

Despite playing a pivotal role last term in the Black Cats’ promotion-winning campaign, centre-forward Eliezer Mayenda has become a victim of the club’s success this season. 

Last season, the young Spanish striker scored eight goals and notched five assists in 40 Championship outings for Sunderland, to cement himself as one of the second tier’s most dynamic attacking talents. 

Mayenda’s final goal of the campaign came in the Championship play-off final at Wembley, with his exquisite strike equalising the clash against Sheffield United to set Sunderland on their way to a historic comeback victory. 

As a result of the Black Cats’ major pre-Premier League recruitment drive last summer, Mayenda’s gametime has significantly decreased since promotion to the top flight, despite being the club’s second-top goalscorer last year. 

Interestingly, Le Bris started Mayenda in the 2025/26 Premier League curtain-raiser back in August, in which Sunderland hammered West Ham 3-0 in front of a raucous Stadium of Light. 

Mayenda proved his Premier League credentials with a deft header on the hour-mark to fittingly net Sunderland’s first league goal of the campaign and once again put the Black Cats on course to victory. 

However, since then, he went on to enjoy just eight starts and 20 total appearances in the Premier League this season, finding the net just once more with his opener in the 1-1 draw at Bournemouth in late February. 

Looking ahead to the transfer window, Mayenda’s future at Sunderland appears unclear as a result of his reduced role this season amid the emergence of Brian Brobbey as Le Bris’ first-choice frontman, and the latest reports indicate he may depart Wearside this summer. 

With several outlets claiming Mayenda will move on from the Stadium of Light this summer, the Sunderland Echo revealed that “Mayenda’s preference is understood to be to move on in search of more regular football.”

Their report adds that the 21-year-old wishes to become the regular starting striker elsewhere as he continues his development, which would appear to be difficult as a result of Brobbey’s emphatic form and the increased level of competition for Sunderland heading into next season. 

Regardless of Mayenda’s wishes, the youngster still holds deep love and appreciation for Sunderland and the club’s fanbase, who also hold him dearly to their hearts for his efforts in the play-off final-winning campaign. 

Mayenda has scored some imperative goals in Sunderland’s renaissance, and endeared himself to the supporters with post-game solo celebrations and his chant regarding a certain Newcastle United-supporting musician.

Sunderland have proven over recent seasons that they will not stand in the way of any player wishing to depart, as seen with the likes of Ross Stewart and Jack Clarke, but there will be a particular emotional tinge to a Mayenda move this summer given the connection he has with the fanbase. 

After full-time on Sunday, Mayenda engaged with the south stand in trademark fashion, and that could well be his goodbye to a stellar three-year stay at Sunderland. 

The Spaniard would depart Sunderland with a heavy heart, reciprocated by the club and its supporters, but that could the best mutually beneficial outcome for the Black Cats’ squad planning and the extremely promising young striker.