Alexandre Mendy opens up on Sunderland transfer situation | OneFootball

Sunderland's pursuit of Alexandre Mendy has received a major update

Key Takeaways

Sunderland transfer target Alexandre Mendy has provided an update on his potential move to the Stadium of Light.

Speculation has surrounded the forward for a number of weeks, but he remains a Caen player for the time being.

According to The Northern Echo, the Black Cats are still interested in signing the 30-year-old despite initial reports that the deal had collapsed.

Mendy has been with Caen since the summer of 2020, and has a proven track record of scoring consistent goals in Ligue 2 over the last four years.

The Guinea-Bissau international has contributed 61 goals from 136 appearances in the French second division (all stats from Fbref).

Alexandre Mendy transfer latest

In an extensive interview, Mendy has opened up on the situation surrounding his potential future amid Sunderland's interest.

The forward has claimed that his head is in England now, and that he hopes to get the move done before the market closes on Friday.

“I am waiting,” said Mendy, via SportaCaen.

“With my family, we have planned. It is especially hard for my loved ones. We live in boxes. My head is in Sunderland.”

Alex Mendy's lack of Caen communication

The striker revealed that he had a verbal agreement with the previous president of the club, which he feels has not been kept amid a lack of communication, which has led to him training away from the first team squad.

“I do not see myself cheating while I have never cheated for the club,” he added.

“I have always given everything. The contact has been cut off. I don’t see how anyone can refuse to speak to my representative.

“I have a representative, it’s not up to me to go and speak to management. I would like us to sit down around a table and find the best solution. The best solution for everyone is for me to go to Sunderland.”

Mendy's Sunderland excitement

He also revealed that the opportunity to move to English football is one he believes he cannot turn down.

“It’s not something you can refuse, because it’s England, a football country,” he continued.

“The coach has wanted me for a long time. It’s not just a question of money. Otherwise, I would have gone to Saudi Arabia.

“But it’s interesting for me and I don’t want to miss this opportunity. I also think about my family, my children.

“For my children’s education, it would be a good thing for them to discover a new country, a new language.”

Mendy situation is running out of time for Sunderland

If Sunderland are still interested in signing Mendy, then they are running out of time to find a solution to this messy situation.

The forward has a great track record of scoring goals at a similar level to the Championship, so it would be a promising move.

That he is 30 is also quite interesting, and shows Sunderland are willing to move away from their usual transfer strategy to find the right forward option, given they tend to focus on younger players.

But the transfer window closes on Friday, so the Black Cats should press ahead with other targets as well just in case this impasse cannot be resolved with Caen.