Why Sunderland are selling Eliezer Mayenda as Stade Rennais near £22 million move | OneFootball

Sunderland have agreed a deal with Stade Rennais for Eliezer Mayenda. It is not signed but is expected to be completed, Sunderland Echo reports.

It is a reluctant sale that nevertheless appears to suit all parties. Mayenda’s 2025/26 was not the campaign envisaged after his opening-day header against West Ham United, yet staff still see top-level potential and he remains a popular figure.

He holds deep affection for Sunderland and talks have been handled respectfully. In the second half of last season he weighed a move as Brian Brobbey’s rise limited starts, while Wilson Isidor finished strongly and moved ahead in Régis Le Bris’s plans.

Rennes present an ambitious project and Mayenda is expected to enter as a senior option, with the responsibility he craves. There are no guarantees of minutes, but the platform to kick on is clear.

Sunderland accepted it was unlikely his status would change next season. A loan was considered, but a strong offer made a sale easier to sanction. The package is understood to be about £22 million with performance add-ons, strengthening the club’s SCR across this window and the next.

Sochaux keep a sizeable sell-on after Sunderland signed him for just under €1 million in 2023, so the club will still post a profit against book value. That creates room for Florent Ghisolfi to re-enter the market. It may feel early, but it allows reinvestment and gives Mayenda his next step.

Source: Sunderland Echo