Sunderland look set to announce the signing of former Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund right-back Thomas Meunier on a free transfer following his release from Lille at the end of his contract this summer.
The 34-year-old, who made three appearances for Belgium at the World Cup and bagged two assists, has a proven track record of playing at the very highest level, and joins Sunderland at probably the most exciting time in our history.
Fans of Lutsharel Geertruida may not want to hear this,
but bringing in someone of Meunier’s ability to add extra strength in depth to our defence seems a more sensible option, particularly when resources will be needed in other areas of the pitch to ensure we can bring in genuine top-class players. Signing a player of Meunier’s calibre on a free seems a sensible and logical move on paper.
I see very few downsides when it comes to this transfer, to be honest.
One of the most interesting aspects of this transfer to me is that it’s a great example of how having the lure of European football will help us to pip other clubs to good players this summer.
Despite his age, Meunier is still a very good player and has played at a high level for a long time, so he’s been highly sought after this summer following the end of his contract at Lille. He’s been linked with a tonne of clubs all over Europe, and it was reported that he was in talks with Hull three weeks ago, but nothing came of it.
Most notably, though, it has been reported that he had already agreed terms with Valencia, but dropped them right in it at the last minute when WantPlayerGetPlayer FC made the call – much to the dismay of journalists in Spain.
Having Europa League football in 2026/27 is going to make an already hugely attractive proposition even more appealing, and like in the case of Meunier, I wouldn’t be surprised if this happens on numerous occasions over the coming months.
Importantly, we are about to embark upon a long, arduous season at Sunderland and, if we can get top-quality experience through the door, then we absolutely must do it. Meunier is no stranger to European competition, and whilst we already have a really strong crop of defenders, we need to add to it to ensure we don’t end up stretched when trying to fit three games a week into an already packed schedule.
Trai Hume has consistently fended off the challenge of whoever the club have put up against him at right-back, but he’s also incredibly tactically flexible and has been used at left-back and on the right of midfield on numerous occasions. Having someone of Meunier’s quality as an option when either resting Hume or using him elsewhere is going to be hugely important next season. I genuinely cannot wait to see the pair of them battle it out, and you can only imagine that the added competition from a top-level campaigner will help to keep Trai on his toes and further his improvement as a Premier League footballer.
