Reinildo to Sunderland: Where he'll fit into Régis Le Bris's side and what he will bring explained

Sunderland are understood to be closing in on the signing of Reinildo Mandava following his departure from Atletico Madrid.

The Black Cats are expected to hand the 31-year-old a two-year contract to be part of their Premier League squad next season. So what do fans need to know about him and how will he fit into the Sunderland squad? We take a closer look here...

What position does Reinildo usually play in and why do Sunderland want him?

Reinildo has played the vast majority of his football at left back and so will be recruited with that in mind. Sunderland were short of depth in the full back positions last season, and often had to play Trai Hume out of position in the periods where Dennis Cirkin was sidelined through injury last season.

Reinildo will offer valuable competition for that left back position, though it's also worth noting that he can play at centre back if required. He played a lot of minutes on the left of the back three after returning from an ACL injury in the second half of the 2023/24 season, a position he briefly reprised in his last appearance for Atletico in the Club World Cup. He has also played at centre back on a number of occasions at international level at Mozambique, and so will be able to offer cover in that position for Régis Le Bris if required.

While Sunderland's transfer strategy this summer remains focused on investing in young talent who can develop and grow their value, the club want to get the balance right and ensure they have the right level of proven top-flight quality in their ranks as the gap from the Championship to the Premier League is a significant one. With over 100 appearances under his belt for one of Europe's biggest clubs, as well as a Ligue 1 winners medal from his time at Lille, Reinildo clearly fits the bill on that front. Playing in the Champions League as recently as March, he is a high-calibre player and an impressive signing for a newly-promoted side.

What are Reinildo's key strengths as a player and what is his playing style?

Watching Reinildo in action, it is clear that he has an impressive speed and acceleration that helps in both the defensive and attacking phases of the game. Digging deeper into his statistics over recent seasons via FBref, it is clear that Reinildo is a full back who favours and prioritises the defensive side of the game. In the 2024/25 campaign for Atletico Madrid, Reinildo's most impressive statistics when compared to full backs across Europe's top-five divisions were for interceptions (where he was in the top 8% of full backs) tackles (top 43%) and pass completion (top 18%). On metrics such as passes and crosses into the penalty area Reinildo ranked relatively low compared to other full backs, building that picture of a defender who takes few risks in possession and can be relied on to contribute well in the defensive phase of the game. That will of course be in part due to the tactical instructions of his coach and his role within the team, but it's broadly consistent with his career more broadly.

It's worth noting that Reinildo's statistics in many areas dipped last season from his previous efforts. If we look at the 2022/23 season, for example, he was in the 4% of full backs in La Liga for tackles and the top 10% for interceptions. The top 2% for blocks, the top 6% for dribblers tackled and the top 20% for ball recoveries. His statistics last season after returning from that major injury were broadly similar, and that is the form that Sunderland will be hoping he can replicate in the campaign ahead. As mentioned, Reinildo played mostly on the left of the back three during that time and his stats in possession (top 15% of centre backs for progressive passes and top 13% of centre backs) showed that he certainly has technical ability at the top level.

If we look back a little further to Reinildo's time at Lille, it underlines his profile as an excellent defender who can contribute in the final third but who primarily excels in defensive areas. In the 2020/21 campaign, he was in the top 4% of Ligue 1 full backs for tackles and the the top 1% for aerial duels won. His pass completion was again very good, demonstrating that he takes fewer risks in possession than some full backs but can be relied upon to maintain possession and make few errors.

The glowing send-off from Atlético that will encourage Sunderland fans

The left back was a very popular figure at Atlético, where his wholehearted defending endeared him to the club's support. The club gave him a glowing send-off on Monday as it was confirmed he'd be leaving, which Sunderland fans can surely take heart from.

"An example of dedication, courage and heart, of overcoming... Thank you so much for these years defending our colors, Rei! We wish you all the best in your future endeavors."

How will this impact Sunderland's current squad?

In theory it shouldn't impact Dennis Cirkin's Sunderland future, as the club want depth and players competing for places. Cirkin is very highly rated by the club and they are keen to agree a new contract with him, as the 23-year-old now entering the final year of his current deal. That of course raises some uncertainty over his short and long-term future but as the profile above shows, he is a very different player to Reinildo and that variety will be very important to Le Bris across a full season.

It does of course raise further doubts over the futures, at least in the short term, of Aji Alese and Niall Huggins. Both returned to full training at the end of last season, and will be hoping to make an impact in the coming weeks as a result. That both are versatile and capable of playing different positions is a bonus, and it is likely that Sunderland will wait until later in the window before making a decision on their likely game time.

Leo Hjelde is another one whose route to the first team will be impacted by Reinildo's arrival, but the Norweigan youth international is currently recovering from an achilles injury and so no decision will be made on his short-term future imminently.

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