Sunderland’s success strategy under Kyril Louis-Dreyfus has been to acquire youthful talent at low cost, although this has recently changed. According to the Northern Echo, the Black Cats sealed the deal to bring Romaine Mundle to the Stadium of Light on deadline day in 2024 for a £1 million initial fee, with add-ons worth up to £2 million. Mundle, like many others who have gone through the club’s doors, was denied an opportunity during his time at Tottenham Hotspur, forcing him to leave.
Clearly, the Black Cats spotted something in the winger, and after only a year with the club, his worth has undoubtedly increased following a remarkable season on Wearside. Mundle was a ready-made Jack Clarke substitute. Sunderland took a calculated chance when they recruited Mundle from Standard Liege, hoping that the winger would be able to realize the promise he showed during his time at Tottenham. This strategy worked for Dennis Cirkin and Jack Clarke, who both struggled to make an impression in North London before going to Wearside for cheaper deals.
Mundle’s role in the squad was initially evident, as he played second fiddle to Clarke in the second half of the 2023/24 season before getting a chance in the team in his absence. The winger made 11 appearances and scored one goal, however only five of them were starts. Despite his limited opportunities, Mundle showed hints of his potential, with his sharp play and cunning drawing attention.
Mundle’s offensive statistics were promising, with 19 dribble attempts. This equaled out to an average of 3.53 per game, putting him in the top 92 percentile of Championship players. Sunderland reaps benefits of Mundle deal Fast forward just over a year after Mundle’s arrival, and the deal to bring the 21-year-old from Belgium must be deemed a stroke of genius. When Clarke left in the summer, there were concerns that the Wearsiders would lose their attacking threat, since Clarke had carried the team the previous season. Mundle, on the other hand, put Wearside doubts to rest with some impressive performances, scoring in the next three games after Clarke left for Ipswich Town.
Crucially, the winger scored the winner against promotion rivals Burnley with a devastating drilled effort that James Trafford was unable to handle. By early November, Mundle had four goals and two assists, his finest production in his senior career, as he confirmed his place in Regis Le Bris’ squad. Mundle, 21, had a major hamstring injury in November and has not played since, missing a total of 15 league games.
Regardless of his injury, his attacking statistics are remarkable. Mundle, in particular, is in the top 99 percentile for successful dribbles, with an average of 2.28 every 90 minutes. While the winger will face stiff competition to reclaim his place in Le Bris’ starting lineup, he has proven to be one of the club’s best alternatives on the left. Mundle is only 21 years old and has enormous potential; if he continues to improve at the rate he has at the Stadium of Light, he will be valued at least eight figures.
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