Eliezer Mayenda is having a difficult time since leaving Sunderland for Stade Rennais in the summer window, and those who have defended him are facing scrutiny.
The 21-year-old came up through the ranks of Sochaux’s academy and spent a year with their first team. In 2023, he left the French club for Sunderland for €1m, and the former retained a large percentage via a sell-on clause.
A muscle injury limited him to eight appearances for the Black Cats in his debut season. He started to shine in his second season for Sunderland, managing 10 goals and five assists in 41 matches.
This includes a late winner in the Championship play-off final over Sheffield United in May 2025. The victory helped the English club secure promotion to the Premier League.
Not gone well since leaving Sunderland
Last summer, Brian Brobbey arrived at the Stadium of Light from Ajax. After overcoming initial struggles, he cemented his place at the Premier League side and has been the first-choice striker for Régis Le Bris.
Eliezer Mayenda settled for a backup role last season. To put it in context, he played 943 minutes in 23 matches, scoring two goals and contributing one assist.
However, that didn’t stop Stade Rennais from investing €22m to secure the Spaniard’s services. Tuesday’s edition of Ouest-France says that outside of Paris Saint-Germain’s signings, this was one of Ligue 1’s top summer arrivals.
In August, the player insisted it’s just the beginning, right after leaving Sunderland for the French club.
At that time, he said: “I don’t really think about the transfer fee. I know I’m a player with a lot of quality. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be here. The price tag is simply a reflection of the faith Rennes has placed in me. What we saw at Sunderland is just the beginning of something. I want to keep working to achieve much more.”
Disappointing since Sunderland exit
The expectations were for the frontman to deliver quickly, especially considering the size of the investment. However, Eliezer Mayenda’s return to France hasn’t gone well so far as he’s yet to score or assist for Stade Rennais in 12 matches.
Stade Rennais manager Franck Haise says the former Sunderland man ‘need to find that spark’ to start delivering on the pitch.
“With his qualities, what he’s showing in training, we need to find that spark. If I didn’t see him performing well in training, it would be a different story… It needs to happen as quickly as possible, first for him, and also for the team,” he said.
There was total consensus within the club to sign him in the summer window.
The big question is how to fit him into Haise’s technical project. Meanwhile, the manager wants the Spaniard to push himself. Those who defended him are now coming under scrutiny.
“It’s up to me to keep pushing them, but it’s also up to the players to go out and get things, because they’re not going to fall into their laps,” Haise explained.
“You have to show what you can do in matches when you come on or when you start… That’s top-level football.”
Besides Mayenda, Haise has Boulaye Dia [six goals and an assist this season] and Estéban Lepaul [seven goals] this season. The latter, now injured, should return to action after the international break.
When that happens, Mayenda may struggle to get minutes, which is needed for him to showcase what he can do on the pitch. In short, the situation could go from bad to worse.
