Sunderland closed their first Summer Premier League transfer window in style with a barrage of signings across the window, strengthening in every position on the pitch and bolstering the squad enough to be able to compete at the highest level.
One area that saw little in the way of transfer activity, however, was the central striking department, with the non-permanent signing of Marc Guiu on loan from Chelsea, without any future obligation. Sunderland had placed full faith in their striking duo of Eliezer
Mayenda & Wilson Isidor as the only two permanent first team forwards.
Deadline day saw the swift departure of Guiu. Still, it brought the addition of Dutch international forward Brian Brobbey for a reported initial fee of €20 million, with further payments expected to reach up to €25 million, and saw Le Bris finish the window with a trio of forwards for the new season.
With Isidor & Mayenda both off the mark this season, I think it’s probably worth taking note of Eliezer Mayenda’s rise to success, and although he may have his doubters, I think Mayenda’s skillset is potentially the most coveted in football at the moment, and that we may have a real gem on our hands for the future.
Mayenda’s Profile
Despite his limited usage until the second half of the 24/25 campaign, Mayenda displayed some real moments of quality for such a young forward and certainly caught the attention of the wider footballing world with his displays in the latter stages of last season, to the extent that he earned himself a national team call-up despite only playing in the second tier of English football.
When compared to some of the other stars in Spain’s youth side, including the likes of Fermin Lopez and Pablo Cubarsi of Barcelona, Mayenda could be mistaken for feeling like he was somewhat of an outsider when compared to those playing for clubs in the top flight.
Looking at Mayenda’s scouted profile above, it’s clear to see where the Spanish FA have been taking note of his skillset and why he’s subsequently been selected to feature in the latest U-21 Squad, so let’s dig a little deeper into each aspect of his play and why it’s so lauded in the modern game.
Ball Carrying
Mayenda’s natural ability to carry the ball tremendous distances is one of the most sought-after skill requirements of a modern forward and therefore makes him a deadly asset when adopting a style of transition football. Ranking within the 92nd Percentile for Progressive Carries for forwards in the Championship during 24/25 paired with a 98th & 100th Percentile respectively tendency for both receiving and completing the action, Mayenda’s first instinct when he receives the ball in isolation is to turn & go.
Pair this with his 75th Percentile ranking for actual progressive carry distance, and you almost have the perfect storm of a player who’s not only looking to spin & go once he’s pinned his defender, when he does get going, he’s able to travel a significant distance doing so, as was displayed during Sunderland’s victory over Brentford.
As a striker, having the natural ability to carry the ball confidently and with pace remains one of the most difficult skills to possess, therefore, there’s no question why players such as Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitike & Victor Gykoreres to name a few have all made moves for record-breaking fees this summer.
Pressing & Movement
One area of Mayenda’s game that often gets overlooked is his selfless nature when it comes to pressing for his side. Fully bought in on the style of press demanded of him by Le Bris, he’s also able to lead the press from the front effectively to help Sunderland pounce on triggers in the opposition’s final third.
Finishing last campaign with a whopping 69 recoveries, which placed him in the 91st percentile of forwards paired with forcing 17 turnovers in the opposition final, which also ranked him in the 88th percentile, Mayenda’s tireless work off the ball paired with his proactive movement also make him an astute presser in the modern game. Forwards are often criticised for their inability to lead a press or their perceived ‘laziness’ out of possession, again a trait which saw the likes of Evanilson & Igor Thiago both make moves north of £40m last season due to their pressing game & physical bullying of opposition players.
Dribbling Ability
Similar to the ball-carrying attribute mentioned above, Mayenda has great close control when carrying the ball at pace. Whilst running, he keeps his touches close to his body and is often able to utilise his build in order to effectively shield opponents from dispossessing him whilst on the move with the ball.
Although his stationary first touch can sometimes need some work, his technique when receiving the ball on the move remains tight & consistent, no more perfect example than the delicacy in touch with the outside of his left to set himself before scoring the equaliser for Sunderland at Wembley. With a 46.7% dribble success rate at an average of 2.05 dribbles per 90 during 24/25, Mayenda also ranked in the 86th & 88th percentiles respectively for strikers in the Championship, whilst understandably, these metrics have dropped from a small Premier League sample size however, Mayenda still ranks well in the top 50% of Premier League strikers.
Link-Up Play
Where Mayenda’s greatest involvement in games occurs tends to be within instances where he can utilise his football IQ to drop deeper and influence games both with and without the ball at his feet. Whether it’s through his ability to occupy a central defender and drag them into midfield as he comes short, or through his one-touch layoffs in transition, Mayenda always looked deadly.
Looking at his passing data from last season, Mayenda ranks incredibly highly in all metrics for a selfless forward and therefore shows he’s got the ability to complete the play despite his isolated nature. What’s even more impressive is that his productivity from such a small number of touches & involvement, with both Mayenda & Isidor having the lowest average touches per game for forwards in the league, showcases that when he does get the chance to assume the playmaker role, he does it well.
Area of Improvement
Where Mayenda has undoubtedly struggled most during his Sunderland tenure has been in his natural goal-scoring prowess. Striker’s instincts often tend to click at different ages, and therefore, there’s no immediate concern around Mayenda’s lack of clinical edge at times, but it can’t be ignored that he’s been guilty of having a lack of cutting edge during periods of the 24/25 campaign.
Whilst not underperforming at levels deemed a major concern, Mayenda did only score 8 goals from an xG of 9.42 in which several of his finishes, including his goals from beyond the penalty spot against Sheffield United & Cardiff City were goals scored from a much lower xG probability and therefore somewhat balanced out his metrics.
Key misses against Stoke, Blackburn, Portsmouth & Middlesbrough all come to mind as chances which Mayenda was unable to convert despite such a high xG generation from where he took his shot.
Putting It All Together
In Eliezer Mayenda, Sunderland have a striker who’s got the tools to develop into a real asset once he manages to touch up his game. Given the combination of his skillset & mindset, we’ve already seen an exponential development in a short space of time and therefore, he’s definitely one to stay patient with and allow him to mature under the tutelage of Le Bris.
I’m the first to admit I’ve been critical of Mayenda during his time on Wearside for some of his occasional unpolished displays, but it’s worth remembering his age and potential up ceiling whenever he does leave the goal gaping or scuff his first-time effort. Once Mayenda puts the whole package together, we could quite easily see his stock take a rapid rise this season and beyond, looking like a real diamond in the rough signing in retrospect when we look back on his career in several years. Keep it up Eli!
