Sunderland Set to Sign Dayann Methalie from Toulouse

Sunderland are closing in on a transfer that will sting on Tyneside. Dayann Methalie, long watched and once coveted by Newcastle, is on the brink of joining their Wearside rivals from Toulouse in a deal worth about £26m.

The 20-year-old France Under-21 defender has been one of the most courted young full-backs in Europe this summer. Tall, quick and left-footed, he ticks just about every modern box. Régis Le Bris has moved decisively, and Sunderland now look set to beat a host of admirers to his signature.

Sunderland strike while Newcastle stand still

Newcastle had done the groundwork. Scouts tracked Methalie throughout last season as he made 27 Ligue 1 appearances for Toulouse, and the club reportedly explored a move in January. On paper, he was made for their new model: young, upwardly mobile, and in that £20m-£40m sweet spot that has come to define their recruitment.

Yet when the window opened, Newcastle stepped back. Club figures have indicated they chose not to pursue a deal this summer and have not lodged a bid. Sunderland stepped into the space, and the momentum shifted.

Methalie is understood to have verbally agreed a five-year contract at the Stadium of Light, where Sunderland can offer something Newcastle cannot this season: Europa League football. For a 20-year-old defender looking to accelerate his development, European nights carry weight.

He will also walk into a dressing room that should feel instantly familiar. Le Bris, a compatriot, is assembling a strong French-speaking core, with Enzo Le Fée, Nordi Mukiele and Habib Diarra already in place. For a young player leaving Ligue 1, that matters. So does the manager’s track record with technically gifted, tactically flexible defenders.

Methalie will become Le Bris’s second signing of the summer, following the arrival of Belgium right-back Thomas Meunier on a free after his departure from Lille. Meunier brings experience; Methalie brings upside. The blend is deliberate.

Versatility and a fight for the left flank

Breaking into the Sunderland XI will not be straightforward. Reinildo stands between Methalie and the left-back spot, and the Mozambican has no intention of giving it up. The contest should be fierce.

Methalie, though, offers more than a straight fight for the flank. At 6ft 2in, with sharp recovery pace and a strong frame, he has already impressed as a left-sided centre-back in both a back three and a back four. That versatility gives Le Bris options: he can flip systems mid-game without changing personnel, or use Methalie as the aggressive, front-foot defender stepping into midfield.

For Sunderland, the fee is significant. For Le Bris, it looks like a cornerstone signing.

Newcastle’s full-back puzzle and the Bruno question

Across the divide, Newcastle’s work in the market continues with a more hesitant rhythm. They still need cover at both left-back and right-back. The right side, in particular, has become a priority after Kieran Trippier’s departure at the end of last season, leaving Eddie Howe short of experience and quality in a key position.

While Sunderland close in on a player Newcastle once tracked intensely, Howe’s gaze is fixed on a different kind of battle: keeping hold of Bruno Guimarães. The midfielder’s future hangs over the club’s summer like a storm cloud.

Newcastle’s hopes rest largely on Arsenal’s next move. The London club would need to commit a fee in the region of £80m to prise away the 28-year-old captain. So far, that decision has not landed. Bruno has been on a post-World Cup holiday in Brazil and is due back on Tyneside on Friday, before heading to La Manga with the rest of the first-team squad for a training camp. His presence there will be watched closely.

Then there is Joe Willock. His situation is quieter, but no less telling. Newcastle have already turned down an offer of around £10m from Besiktas for the former Arsenal midfielder. The door, though, is not shut. They are open to a sale if the price approaches £20m.

So while Sunderland prepare to unveil a young defender who fits the modern game and their European ambitions, Newcastle juggle gaps at full-back and the futures of two key midfielders. One club moves boldly for tomorrow; the other waits to see how much of today it can afford to lose.