Sunderland 'to turn their back on Mepham' with new defender transfer a steal

Sunderland's permanent pursuit of Chris Mepham has been no secret over the last few months.

The centre back spent the season on loan at the Stadium of Light and played a crucial role in the Mackems enjoying such a fantastic year in the Championship.

Mepham hardly featured during the dramatic semi-final tie with Coventry City, but was needed for the final and put in a typically stellar performance at the heart of Regis Le Bris' defence as the Wearsiders secured their return to the Premier League.

Sunderland have been working hard to sign the Welsh international on a permanent deal, but their hopes of bringing Mepham back to the North East have been dashed due to Bournemouth handing him a new contract.

Sunderland should trigger Tanganga clause after Mepham update

A deal for Mepham to return to Sunderland permanently had felt like an inevitability, given how successful his loan was. However, the Black Cats' chances of keeping him have now taken a severe hit.

Sunderland did have hope of snatching Mepham for a cut-price fee, or even a free transfer, given that his contract was due to expire this summer.

But, the Cherries have now put paid to those hopes by triggering an extension in the 27-year-old's contract, meaning that the newly-promoted side will now have to pay a fee.

Bournemouth's decision will have forced Le Bris and Co. to re-evaluate their transfer plans, and they should now be focusing their attention on an alternative target instead.

Sunderland are one of four Premier League sides who have concrete interest in Millwall defender Japhet Tanganga, according to The Express (13 June).

The former Tottenham man is said to have a bargain £1.2million release clause in his contract, which should make the option of a deal a no-brainer for Sunderland.

Sunderland won't be strapped for cash after winning the play-off final, but even so, they will want to ensure they don't create a PSR risk for themselves further down the line by flaunting that cash when alternatives are available.

A move for Mepham may now require a fairly substantial fee for a Premier League newcomer, while Tanganga is another very capable defender, whose release clause makes him an absolute steal.

Tanganga is ready for Premier League return

It's been over two years since Tanganga last played top-flight football, but that looks destined to change this summer.

The centre back became a key player for Millwall during a loan spell in the second half of the 2023/24 campaign, and was seen as a coup for the South London outfit when they secured him on a permanent deal last summer.

Those suggestions proved to be accurate as Tanganga established himself as one of the Championship's most reliable defenders this term. He started in 40 of the 46 league games for the Lions, as Alex Neil's men flirted with the play-offs towards the end of the season.

Only six Championship teams conceded fewer goals than Millwall, and Tanganga was a crucial part of that rearguard effort.

The Spurs academy product has always had experience beyond his years - having been handed his Champions League debut at the age of 20. However now, he is now undoubtedly ready to make the step back up and be a key figure at the centre of a Premier League backline.

Considering his bargain price tag, Sunderland and Le Bris should forget about their pursuit of Mepham and ensure they can win the race for Tanganga instead.