Sunderland Closing In on Toulouse Defender Dayann Methalie Transfer

Sunderland are closing in on the transfer of Toulouse defender Dayann Methalie, with The Guardian - Football transfer coverage (Rumour Mill / transfer window) reporting the Black Cats are poised to sign the France Under-21 international for approximately £26m.

Methalie, who made 27 Ligue 1 appearances for Toulouse last season, is a versatile defensive option capable of operating at left-back, wingback, or in a central role — a profile that attracted considerable interest across the summer window. Newcastle had been extensively scouting the defender, but The Guardian reports they have since backed away, leaving Sunderland and head coach Régis Le Bris in an advanced position to secure his signature.

TEAMtalk - Transfer News characterises the deal as record-breaking for the club, describing Sunderland as closing in on an agreement and framing the outcome as the Black Cats beating Newcastle to their target.

With both a tier-two and tier-three outlet now aligned on Sunderland’s position, the move sits firmly at the advanced stage. A fee of around £26m is the figure on the table per The Guardian; no contract length has been reported by either outlet. The next marker to watch is confirmation that personal terms have been finalised and a medical scheduled — neither of which has been reported as complete at the time of publication.

No Socceroos or Matildas implication — Methalie is a France Under-21 international.