'I've made it clear' - Chris Mepham delivers honest Sunderland transfer verdict ahead of Bournemouth decision

Chris Mepham has insisted he is “open” to a permanent move to Sunderland next summer but also hinted he will have to consider his options.

The 27-year-old started alongside Luke O’Nien in defence as Sunderland won 2-1 against Cardiff City at the Stadium of Light in the Championship on Saturday afternoon, with the Bournemouth loanee netting the winning goal for head coach Régis Le Bris.

The centre-back signed for the Black Cats on loan from Premier League club Bournemouth last summer and has cemented himself a vital cog in head coach Le Bris’ defence, with Sunderland pushing for promotion in the Championship.

The defender’s current contract runs out during the summer. However, Bournemouth do hold an option to extend the deal for another year after signing Mepham for £12million from Brentford in 2019. The top-flight side are expected to trigger the clause to recoup some money for the Wales international.

Recent reports regarding Mepham have suggested that Bournemouth do not see the player as part of their long-term plans and that he will indeed leave come the summer, regardless. It has also been claimed that Sunderland will face intense competition for Mepham’s permanent signature, with Championship rivals Leeds United and Sheffield United previously credited with an interest. Speaking after the game against Cardiff, however, Mepham said joining Sunderland next summer was a “possibility” but also added he would have to asses his options.

What did Chris Mepham say about his transfer future and Sunderland?

“For me, it's about ticking these next 10 games off,” Mepham said when asked if he would like to stay at Sunderland. “We have important Wales games coming up in the summer, and I'm sure those conversations will happen at some point. For me, I'm trying to stay in the here and now and help this team get back to where we belong.”

Asked if it was difficult not to think about his next move in the summer, Mepham said: “Of course it does play on your mind naturally. As humans, we do look to the future. For me, it's been no different, and you do look at options that might be available to you in the summer. It's also important to focus on the now.”

The Bournemouth loanee continued: “I've made it clear I love playing my football here. I love my connection I've made with my teammates and the staff and fans, and if it's a possibility in the summer, it's definitely one I'd be open to. But a lot has to happen before that.”

Asked if the move to Sunderland last summer on loan from Bournemouth had been a good fit, Mepham responded: “I think so. It got presented to me before I joined the club that it was a quite young, inexperienced team, and for how well they were doing, it was important to have someone like myself with international and Premier League experience to come in and help guide them.

“It's been a big learning curve for me to take that responsibility when lads are struggling or frustrated to be that person they can lean on. I'd like to think the lads will say I'm very approachable day in, day out and that was always going to be important for me coming here. It did feel like a good fit coming here, and on the pitch, it's gone really well as well. I've stayed injury-free, which, personally, is important. Just getting that exposure to football matches again has been great.”

What is Sunderland’s stance on signing Chris Mepham permanently?

Kristjaan Speakman hinted in February that Sunderland will look to try and sign Mepham this summer after praising the defender's 'unbelievable' impact at the club.

Sunderland’s sporting director confirmed that the Black Cats will assess the situation this summer and are likely to open talks with Bournemouth over a transfer. "I think Chris's situation is slightly different to Wilson's," Speakman said.

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"Chris has had an unbelievable impact, I was going to say the team but it would be better to say the football club. Because of the way he carries himself around the training ground, how he is as part of our leadership team even as a loan player. It just echoes how important he is and has been. I think that's just a conversation we will pick up at the end of the season. From Chris's perspective and from our perspective, and from Bournemouth's perspective - that was always the plan."