Sunderland Near Deal for Toulouse Defender Dayann Methalie
Sunderland are on the brink of beating their fiercest rivals to one of Europe’s most coveted young defenders, with Dayann Methalie set to swap Toulouse for the Stadium of Light in a deal worth about £26m.
For months, Newcastle had tracked the France Under‑21 international, sent scouts to watch him across Ligue 1 and even explored a move in January. He looked tailor‑made for their recruitment model: 20 years old, already hardened by top-flight football, and sitting neatly in that £20m‑£40m sweet spot the club has targeted.
And yet, when the moment came, they walked away. No bid this summer. No late twist. The path cleared for Sunderland.
Le Bris builds his French core
Régis Le Bris has moved quickly. Methalie is understood to have verbally agreed a five‑year contract and will arrive into a dressing room increasingly shaped in his manager’s image and language. Enzo Le Fée, Nordi Mukiele and Habib Diarra already give Sunderland a strong French‑speaking core; Methalie would strengthen that identity and, crucially, raise the level.
Sunderland can also offer what Newcastle cannot this season: Europa League football. For a 6ft 2in defender still carving out his place in the game, the lure of European nights and regular minutes in a progressive side carries weight.
Methalie made 27 Ligue 1 appearances for Toulouse last term and brings the sort of versatility modern coaches crave. He can operate as a conventional left‑back, a wing‑back or tuck inside as a left‑sided centre-half. Le Bris has already made Belgium right‑back Thomas Meunier his first signing of the summer on a free from Lille; Methalie, at a sizeable fee, would be the statement addition.
A defender built for modern systems
Reinildo will not give up the left‑back spot lightly, and Methalie will have to fight his way into the side. That battle may suit him.
His game blends recovery pace with a strong, combative frame and a composed left foot. Those qualities have allowed him to shine both in a back three and a back four, stepping into midfield when needed and recovering ground when attacks break down. For a Sunderland side likely to shuffle between systems across a long season, that flexibility is gold.
If the deal is completed as expected, Le Bris will have a defensive unit that looks far more like his own: Meunier on one flank, Methalie able to lock down the other or slide inside, and a tactical platform sturdy enough to carry the club into Europe with purpose rather than hope.
Newcastle’s full-back search goes on
Across the Tyne, the mood is different. Newcastle’s decision not to move for Methalie leaves them still searching for cover on both sides of their defence.
Right‑back is the most urgent concern. Kieran Trippier’s departure at the end of last season stripped Eddie Howe of his on‑field lieutenant and set‑piece specialist, and the manager is keen to bring in a replacement with experience as well as legs. Left‑back remains an area in need of depth rather than a complete rebuild, but the lack of a deal for Methalie underlines how tightly Newcastle are now operating in the market.
The bigger question, though, hangs over Bruno Guimarães. Howe’s hopes of keeping his captain appear tied to Arsenal’s appetite – or lack of it – for an £80m outlay. Guimarães, 28, has been on holiday in Brazil following the World Cup and is due back on Tyneside on Friday before heading to La Manga with the rest of the first‑team squad.
If Arsenal decide to push, Newcastle face a decision that could reshape their midfield and their season in one stroke.
Willock in the shop window
Joe Willock’s situation only adds to the sense of flux. Newcastle have already turned down an offer in the region of £10m from Besiktas for the former Arsenal midfielder, a figure that falls well below their valuation. They are, though, open to a sale at closer to £20m.
It leaves Willock in a familiar limbo: valued, but not untouchable; useful, but potentially expendable if the right bid lands and the balance sheet demands movement.
As Sunderland prepare to unveil a highly coveted young defender and Newcastle weigh up whether to cash in on two of their key midfield assets, the rivalry takes on a new edge. One club is building around an emerging French spine and European football. The other is trying to hold its core together while shopping for full-backs and fending off bids.
The next few weeks will show which approach carries more weight when the season starts and the Tyne–Wear fault line begins to shake again.
