Fresh development shared on Sunderland’s pursuit of Alexandre Mendy | OneFootball

Sunderland still have an interest in Alexandre Mendy from Caen, even though a deal has proven difficult to do.

Key Takeaways

Sunderland are still interested in signing Caen striker Alexandre Mendy, even after they secured a deal for Wilson Isidor and they’re also tracking Roko Simic.

Bringing in a new number nine has been a priority for the Black Cats since the start of the window, as a lack of goals was a key reason as to why they endured a miserable campaign last time out.

And, it’s no secret that they’re after Mendy, with the player keen on making the move to Wearside. However, it has been a frustrating process for Sunderland, as they’ve not been able to reach an agreement with Caen.

With Isidor through the door, and Simic in talks to follow, it was thought that Sunderland’s interest in Mendy may have cooled.

But, the Northern Echo has revealed that the two clubs are still in dialogue over the 30-year-old, so he’s still firmly on Sunderland’s radar.

Alexandre Mendy would bring different qualities to Sunderland

It’s easy to see why Sunderland are still looking to bring Mendy in, as he would offer a different skill-set to the players they currently have or are looking at.

Isidor is a mobile striker that will look to stretch the opposition, and whilst Simic is a powerful figure up top, he is still only 20.

So, you would argue that Sunderland still need a physical focal point, which Mendy would provide.

Furthermore, at 30, unlike most of the squad at the Stadium of Light, the ex-Guingamp man is an experienced figure who is in his prime right now, and that could be invaluable in the dressing room.

That means he would also be expected to make an instant impact, unlike the others who will be given more time to develop.

Ultimately, none of the strikers on the books at Sunderland have convinced, and scoring goals is the hardest part of the game, so Regis Le Bris isn’t going to moan about having a few options, and we know how important strength in depth is at this level.

Sunderland’s transfer plans

It’s shaping up to be a hectic final week of the window for the Black Cats, with Jack Clarke’s move to Ipswich likely to trigger a lot of activity.

Losing the winger is a massive blow, there’s no denying that. He was the outstanding player for Sunderland last season, and some will feel the £20m package isn’t the best deal given his quality.

But, it will at least give them more freedom as they look to bring in new players, and the recruitment team will need to get it right as they’re losing a lot of goals and creativity from the team.

As well as reinforcing the striker department, you would imagine another winger will be required to offer the pace and direct threat that Clarke did.

So, it will be interesting to see how it plays out, and what the squad looks like for Le Bris at 11pm next week.

Sunderland, who have won two from two, face Burnley at home on Saturday, with the Clarets another side with a 100% record after two games.