Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris hails Chris Mepham as ‘a gift’
Regis Le Bris has praised the impact Chris Mepham has had at Sunderland and played down any concerns over the Welshman’s future at the Stadium of Light.
When arriving at the Wearside club, it was expected Mepham would provide strength in depth. However, the current absence of Dan Ballard has opened up the door for the Welshman and he has grasped the opportunity with both hands.
Mepham was outstanding in the club’s recent victory against Hull City, demonstrating why he is a Premier League footballer and Le Bris has been happy with his impact while also weary about his future.
In quotes reported by the Sunderland Echo, he said: “I understand why people will want to talk about his future, but that is not my main concern at the minute. It will be important at some point, but the most important thing at the minute is developing the link with the player and working on the performance. Then, we will see what happens.
“The way he connects with the other players is important. You can sense his maturity, and that makes it so easy for the others to play with him. For me, it is a gift to have him here.
“We got the balance right, I think, and a player like Chris Mepham is so important. He is important for the performance of the team, but he is also so important here, in the meeting room.
Chris Mepham is the type of player Sunderland need to achieve promotion
Not only is Mepham an excellent defender at this level, he is an even better leader. Despite only being 26 years old, he is one of the most experienced players in the squad and his defensive awareness and leadership is evident every time he steps on the pitch.
The Welshman is currently out of contract in the summer and it is believed Bournemouth have the option to extend that – but it is certainly a situation Sunderland should be keeping a close eye on.
It was a surprise to see him drop down to the Championship having impressed on several occasions in the Premier League. However, it demonstrates just how big a gulf there is in the gap between the two divisions.
A fringe player in the Premier League can often be a star player in the Championship, a reason you see many clubs bounce straight back after achieving promotion.
Should Sunderland achieve their ambitions this season, there is every possibility that Mepham will join the club permanently.
In other Sunderland news, Carlton Palmer believes that Sunderland should have one eye on promotion before considering their right to activate a buy-clause in Wilson Isidor’s loan deal.
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