Exactly what will Nordi Mukiele bring to Sunderland?
Nordi Mukiele is officially a Sunderland player.
Mukiele has signed from Paris Saint-Germain for £10m this weekend, becoming the Black Cats’ 12th signing of the summer transfer window.
This move completed what has been a dream weekend for Sunderland, who defeated West Ham United 3-0 in their Premier League opener at the Stadium of Light.
But how will the former RB Leipzig defender fit into Regis Le Bris’ system as the Wearsiders search for Premier League survival?
Mukiele brings strength and versatility to stacked Sunderland
Mukiele is the fourth defender to come through the door at the Stadium of Light this summer, with Sunderland also signing Reinildo, Omar Alderete and Arthur Masuaku.
This has led to questions on where and how the ex-PSG defender will fit into the team, but the Frenchman has the versatility to make it in the North East.
Sunderland faced a string of defensive injuries last season, with Dennis Cirkin and Dan Ballard both missing large parts of the season with hamstring injuries, while Luke O’Nien dislocated his shoulder in the play-off final against Sheffield United.
| Player | Injury | Games missed |
| Dennis Cirkin | Hamstring | 8 |
| Dan Ballard | Hamstring | 11 |
| Jenson Seelt | Knee | 24 |
Mukiele will provide crucial back-up in both centre-back and full-back, while also possessing the quality to push for a starting spot.
The French international also brings the commitment needed for a defender in England, being very aggressive in challenges, while also possessing the work rate to track back against pacy wingers.
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Mukiele needs to work on his consistency at Sunderland
While Mukiele provides great qualities in his defending, he has a habit of being incredibly inconsistent in his performances.
A large reason for his failure at PSG and Bayer Leverkusen was his lapses of concentration in big moments, often being caught going too far forward.
However, that is an issue that can be fixed by Regis Le Bris’ conservative style of play when needed, as Mukiele will have fewer chances to get forward.
Another problem is his injury history, as the Frenchman has dealt with multiple hamstring and muscle fibre issues.
With the amount of rotation available at Sunderland, Mukiele should be able to avoid long spells out with his minutes managed.
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