Sunderland transfer rumours grow around Real Madrid defender who cost £45.6m earlier in his career
Reports have linked Sunderland with a surprise move for a Real Madrid defender who once commanded a £45.6m fee
Sunderland have been linked with a surprise move for Ferland Mendy, with the Premier League club said to be considering a bid in the region of £9.5million, according to reports from Fichajes.
The report claims the Black Cats are weighing up an approach for the 30-year-old defender, a proposal that would inevitably raise questions at Real Madrid over Mendy’s long-term future. While his quality has rarely been disputed when fit, ongoing fitness concerns have increasingly shaped Madrid’s thinking.
Over the past two seasons, Mendy has missed close to 40 competitive matches through injury. For a club that places heavy emphasis on reliability and availability, that record carries significant weight, regardless of his ability on the pitch. Madrid continue to value his defensive strengths, but there is an acceptance that his injury history complicates medium-term squad planning.
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Sunderland’s reported interest would represent a bold statement as they continue to build for life back in the Premier League. Landing a player with Mendy’s Champions League pedigree would underline that ambition, even if the deal carries clear risk. From Madrid’s perspective, a fee of around £9.5million would allow them to recover a portion of their original outlay while potentially freeing up room for further defensive evolution.
Mendy’s rise to the top level has been relatively rapid. During the 2016-17 season, he made 35 appearances for Le Havre in Ligue 2, catching the attention of clubs higher up the pyramid. That form earned him a move to Lyon in the summer of 2017, with the deal reported to be worth £4.3million, plus a further £860,000 in potential add-ons.
His development accelerated quickly at Lyon. In September 2018, Mendy made his Champions League debut in a 2-1 away win over Manchester City, a performance that helped elevate his reputation across Europe. Less than a year later, Real Madrid moved to secure his signature.
Madrid signed Mendy in June 2019 for an initial £41.3million, a figure that could rise to around £45.6million with add-ons. He played a key role during the 2019-20 campaign, making 25 league appearances as Madrid lifted the La Liga title, and scoring his first goal for the club in a victory over Granada.
Mendy has also produced defining moments in the Champions League, including a crucial goal-line clearance against Manchester City during the dramatic 2021-22 semi-final, a tie Madrid famously turned around late on to reach the final.
Despite those highlights, injuries have increasingly dominated the narrative around his spell in Spain. That context makes Sunderland’s reported interest particularly intriguing. For Mendy, a move could offer regular football and a new challenge. For Sunderland, it would be a calculated gamble on experience, pedigree and durability. At this stage, the link remains speculative.
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