Just In : Sunderland AFC backed to make fresh Bournemouth deal As Mepham’s Championship knowledge will be crucial to Sunderland’s promotion ambitions

Just In : Sunderland AFC backed to make fresh Bournemouth deal As Mepham’s Championship knowledge will be crucial to Sunderland’s promotion ambitions

The ‘Terrace Talk’ series from Football League World features the perspectives of our FLW Fan Pundits on a variety of topics, including teams, players, managers, potential signings, and breaking news.

With nine games played, Sunderland AFC leads the 2024–25 Championship standings after an amazing start to the season.

The Black Cats, with a somewhat young and inexperienced team, have only lost two games thus far and have amassed 19 points en route to the top of the second division.

After a few setbacks in September, Regis Le Bris has done miracles at the Stadium of Light in his brief tenure with the team. They will be expecting to recover from the international break in better shape than when they started.

Even so, there is cause for optimism that they may bounce back from their two-win streak in five games, particularly with Chris Mepham, a loanee who joined from AFC Bournemouth in the summer, just recently finding his way into the lineup.

The 26-year-old has participated in all four of Sunderland’s Championship games, helping the squad to win two of those contests while keeping two clean sheets. There will be doubts over whether the defender stays in the lineup after his early displays.

Sunderland ought to insist on a long-term agreement for Mepham.

It was expected that Mepham would be loaned out for the current season after making just 10 Premier League appearances for his parent club, Bournemouth, in 2023–24; yet, in his first four games, he has not displayed any indications of rustiness.

Despite having played in fewer starting lineups on the south coast recently,

he has a wealth of experience in both the Premier League and Championship,

having made over 150 appearances in each since making his Brentford debut in 2017.

This aspect of his game is what has already made him such an important member of Le Bris’ squad,

and Football League World has asked Jack Austwicke, their Sunderland Fan Pundit,

if he would like to see the defender signed long-term.

Jack said, “Based off so far, 100%.” “Although he is only 26 years old,

his experience is plenty for us, and he appears to be a talented player.

“He looks a lot more experienced than he is,

but I suppose that comes with playing so many games at the top level,

and I have enjoyed watching him.”

He went on, saying, “I believe he looks fantastic next to both of them,

O’Nien or Ballard, and I’d definitely be keen to see

us sign him.

“I don’t think it’d be a hefty fee, and he’d definitely be a statement signing and a sign of intent if we were to go up this year, definitely.”

Chris Mepham Sunderland AFC Stats 2024/25 (FotMob)*
Appearances (Starts)	4 (4)
Minutes Played	360
Goals (Assists)	0 (0)
Tackles Won	60%
Duels Won	51.7%
Aerial Duels Won	56.2%
Interceptions	4
Recoveries	19
Pass Accuracy	88.4%
*Stats correct as of 11/10/2024

Mepham’s Championship knowledge will be crucial to Sunderland’s promotion ambitions

Not many had predicted Sunderland to be an early challenger for promotion, with it being Le Bris’ first job in England, as well as the factor of losing Jack Clarke to Ipswich Town in the transfer window.

But, the young side already look to be coping without their talisman from last season,

and the addition of Mepham has only strengthened them at the back.

The 26-year-old already has one promotion to the Premier League to his name with Bournemouth,

and reached the play-offs with the Cherries a year earlier, in 2020/21.

Having a player like him will be vital in the coming months as the schedule becomes more packed

and the games start to come thick and fast.

Following this international break, the Championship will pause just once more until March,

and it will be at that point that momentum truly takes hold as the league table starts to take shape.

If Mepham can continue to perform at the level he has done so far,

and helps take Sunderland up to the Premier League,

then it makes complete sense for the Black Cats to sign the centre-back permanently.

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