Sunderland beating Sheffield United to transfer agreement is a major coup: View | OneFootball

The AFC Bournemouth loanee will prove be a valuable addition over the course of the season

It looked for all the world like Chris Mepham was going to be a Sheffield United player on transfer deadline day, only for Sunderland to snatch the defender out of their grasp.

The Black Cats’ late swoop for the AFC Bournemouth man saw Regis Le Bris add an extra bit of quality to his backline, which has only been breached once this season so far.

The addition of a player who has a wealth of experience in both the Championship and the Premier League will only bolster the Mackems’ quality from a defensive point of view, as they sit top of the tree as we head into the international break

While the Blades will still be smarting from missing out on one of their top transfer targets, Sunderland have a player at their disposal who could aid them in their quest for a return to the Premier League.

Sunderland defence excels under Regis Le Bris

Since his arrival in the summer, Le Bris has Sunderland well-drilled and able to break Championship sides down at will, while also proving to be resilient in their defensive efforts.

Only local rivals Middlesbrough are rivalling the underlying numbers that prove how staunch the Black Cats’ defence has been of late, with the Wearsiders only allowing a figure of 0.90 xG per match in their four opening fixtures.

With just ten shots on target faced across those four matches, there is further proof that the former Premier League side are regularly keeping their opponents at bay, with the chosen centre-back pairing being expertly marshalled by Alan Browne in a deeper defensive role.

Chris Mepham can add experience to youthful side

With over 150 league appearances to his name, as well as his International pedigree, Mepham will bring a wealth of experience into the Sunderland side, having been part of a Bournemouth team that won promotion to the top flight in the 21/22 campaign.

The 26-year-old has bags of quality in possession as well as out of it, and the Welshman will continue to help Le Bris’ side build attacks from the back while keeping a tight ship at the other end.

Having fallen out of favour with AFC Bournemouth, the move to the North East is the chance for Mepham to get back to playing regular football once again, with the hope of personal benefits as a result

The former Brentford man will be wanting to impress new Wales boss Craig Bellamy after his move to the Stadium of Light, in the hope of getting regular game time for his country, with Sunderland likely to benefit as a result.

The Mackems regularly field one of the youngest starting lineups in the Championship week in, week out, with the side that started their 1-0 victory over Burnley last month a league-low 22.7 years of age.

29-year-old O’Nien started that game alongside 23-year-old Aji Alese, with the latter getting more game time recently after a tentative start to life at the Stadium of Light.

While the pair have demonstrated their ability to see out matches in their own right, to have a player of Mepham’s experience waiting in the wings is only likely to raise his teammates' levels as a result, and he will be ready to step in when Le Bris feels the moment is right.

Over the course of the season, Sunderland’s move to see off Sheffield United in their move for the experienced campaigner will only benefit them, with the early signs promising a promotion push at the Stadium of Light in the season ahead.