Sunderland‘s Dayann Methalie has opened up about how he lived through the drama involving his transfer to the Premier League side in the summer window.
On August 21st, the left-back ended his 11-year-old spell at Toulouse and completed a permanent move to Sunderland.
He graduated from the Ligue 1 side’s youth system and made his way into their first team in 2025. Methalie played 31 matches, and it was enough to convince the Black Cats to bet on him.
The operation was anything but easy for the English club, who had to overcome multiple hurdles to get it over the line. They initially found it difficult to find an agreement with Toulouse.
In July, Sunderland took the first step by agreeing on personal terms with the 20-year-old. The French club turned down their €20m bid and initially requested €30m. Régis Le Bris’ side returned with a €25m before tabling the third proposal, all rejected by Toulouse.
Sunderland received assurance
On August 10th, Sport Witness covered a report from France that the Ligue 1 side further increased their demand. This was after Sunderland tabled the fourth bid.
A few days later, the two clubs found an agreement, and he received the green light for the medical. The English club’s medical team found certain issues, and Dayann Methalie returned to Toulouse.
Despite this, the Black Cats kept the deal alive and completed the operation on August 21st. The move didn’t impact his place in the France U21 squad during September and October’s fixtures.
This allowed L’Equipe to interview the fullback, for their Friday print edition. The Sunderland player explained what he went through and how medical experts played a key role in his transfer.
“I was a little scared when they told me about this problem, but they quickly reassured me,” he said.
The player adds three doctors examined him and all came up with the same conclusion: “It’s nothing serious.”
| Every Sunderland signing 26/27 | Previous Club | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Malick Fofana | Lyon | £26m |
| Dayann Méthalie | Toulouse | £24m |
| Jules Ahoka | Royal Antwerp | £8.6m |
| Juan Riquelme Angulo | Independiente del Valle | £5m |
| Kevin Danso | Tottenham Hotspur | Loan |
| Thomas Meunier | Lille | Free Transfer |
Decision to join Sunderland and start so far
Dayann Methalie also details what convinced him to move to the Stadium of Light.
“In my mind, it was Sunderland; I was focused on this project that excited me. I went through all the emotions to experience it. But I learned a lot about managing a transfer window,” he added.
The Frenchman made his debut in the Black Cats’ EFL Cup win over Hull City last month.
He then played the full 90 minutes in Sunderland’s 5-3 defeat to Manchester City. About his Premier League debut, Methalie concluded: “At first, I was like a child with stars in my eyes.”
“I had a good start, and I think at some point I realised it, and that led me to make that mistake. I was a little too confident. But in the end, I didn’t lose focus. I’ll remember that intense debut.”
