Sunderland’s Dayann Méthalie deal delayed after medical issue

Sunderland’s move for Toulouse defender Dayann Méthalie has been delayed after an issue identified during his medical prompted the need for further tests.

Sky Sports reports that Méthalie has returned to France while additional examinations are carried out, introducing late uncertainty into a transfer that had been expected to move towards an official announcement on Tuesday. There has been no confirmation that the deal has collapsed, and neither Sunderland nor Toulouse have publicly disclosed the nature of the medical concern.

The development represents a significant change from earlier in the day. The Guardian reported on Tuesday morning that Sunderland were preparing to announce the 20-year-old’s arrival in a deal worth £25.6 million and that Méthalie had agreed a five-year contract at the Stadium of Light.

Sunderland had spent several weeks negotiating with Toulouse after identifying the France Under-21 international as a priority for the left side of Régis Le Bris’ defence. Toulouse rejected a series of approaches earlier in the window, including a package worth €33 million, before the clubs moved closer to an agreement in recent days.

Méthalie had already chosen Sunderland as his preferred destination during the negotiations. His profile offers the Black Cats several options: he has played primarily on the left but is also capable of operating as a wing-back or on the left side of central defence.

The medical issue now becomes the decisive part of the process. Further testing does not in itself mean a transfer will be abandoned; clubs can seek additional information before deciding whether to proceed on the original terms, renegotiate aspects of a deal or withdraw altogether.

At this stage, there is no evidence that Sunderland have taken any of those decisions.

The safest assessment is that a transfer which had been approaching completion has been put on hold pending further medical checks. Until those examinations are completed and Sunderland determine whether they are satisfied with the results, Méthalie remains a Toulouse player and an official announcement cannot be assumed.