Regis Le Bris complimented Chris Mepham as ‘a gift’ after the defender’s performance in the 1-0 victory over Hull City. Sunderland’s finest performer at the MKM Stadium was Mepham, who helped the Black Cats to a 1-0 victory that lifted them back to the top of the Championship table. The centre-back has been a delightfully calming presence on Wearside since signing on a season-long loan from Bournemouth on transfer deadline day, and the additional experience he has brought to the squad has definitely proven vital.
“It’s certainly not difficult to manage this type of player,” Le Bris stated about Mepham. “He plays for the team, has a lot of experience, and is very vital in the locker room and on the field, both individually and as a group. “It’s like a present for a coach and a team like us. His maturity is tremendously beneficial to us.”
Will Sunderland be able to sign Chris Mepham permanently? Unlike Wilson Isidor, Sunderland does not have an automatic option to sign Chris Mepham after his loan period. This is largely due to Bournemouth having to make a decision on his contract. The Cherries paid a reported £12 million for the defender when he joined from Brentford in January 2019. He signed a four-and-a-half-year agreement, meaning he will be out of contract this summer.
However, like we’ve seen Sunderland do recently, Bournemouth included an option to automatically extend it by another year if they wanted to. “This is my final year, and I think [Bournemouth] have the option of next year,” Mepham remarked in September, shortly after joining Sunderland on loan. “I do not want to look too far ahead. I believe it is natural to keep it week by week because so much may happen in such a short amount of time.
“Like I said, I think the most important thing for me at this stage of my career is just playing football and getting regular game time which is something I’ve probably missed over the last couple of years.”I believe that everything will take care of itself, but the most important thing for me is to get game time, keep fit, and avoid injuries. Of course, the most important thing is to support the team and do my best for the football club.”
It appears highly improbable that Bournemouth will opt to release a player for whom they paid a high price on a free transfer when they can demand a reasonable compensation for him, therefore the question becomes one for the open market. Sunderland would undoubtedly be well-positioned to sign Mepham permanently next summer, especially if they secure promotion before then. However, there is always the risk that Mepham rebuilds and possibly even improves his image in the Championship with Sunderland, who do not get promoted, and then a Premier League club moves for him.
There is also a chance that Sunderland will try to avoid that scenario by making his loan agreement permanent in January, albeit there is no precedent for the current ownership to undertake such a move. So it’s definitely best not to get too involved right now, even if his performances make it difficult.
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