Sunderland is on the verge of finalizing the signing of Dayann Methalie from Toulouse, with the young full-back expected to undergo a medical at the Academy of Light within the next 24 hours. The Black Cats have reached a £25.7 million agreement with Toulouse, which includes an initial fee of £24 million along with an additional £1.7 million in potential add-ons.

Transfer Details and Background

Methalie is set to arrive in England later today, marking him as Sunderland’s second summer signing following fellow full-back Thomas Meunier. His transfer concludes a month-long pursuit, during which Toulouse rejected multiple offers for the 20-year-old, who is also a France Under-21 international. The agreement was finalized late last week, and Methalie was notably absent from Toulouse's squad for their recent friendly against Hamburg.

Impact on Sunderland's Squad

The addition of Methalie provides Sunderland with a crucial left-back option, complementing Reinildo Mandava, who was the primary choice in that position last season. Mandava, however, will turn 33 in January, and with Dennis Cirkin having departed as a free agent, Sunderland recognized the need for additional depth in defense. Methalie arrives with experience, having made 31 senior appearances for his hometown club since his debut last August.

As Sunderland prepares for their Premier League opener against Ipswich Town on Saturday, the team is also looking to strengthen their attacking options. The recruitment team is actively pursuing a wide-attacker, with ongoing interest in Geny Catamo despite previous unsuccessful negotiations with Benfica.