AFC Bournemouth and Wales International Chris Mepham may well have made his final appearance for the Cherries.
The 26-year-old centre-back’s current contract at Dean Court expires in the summer of 2025, having previously signed a contract extension back in 2022.
But with Mepham now looking likely to depart the south coast on a season-long loan deal, this looks like a goodbye to AFC Bournemouth.
Sky Sports reporter Mark McAdam has posted on social media that Mepham is looking set for a move to Championship side Sunderland, there will be no option or obligation to make the move permanent come the end of the 2024/25 campaign.
Sunderland have agreed a loan deal with Bournemouth for defender Chris Mepham.
Straight loan with no option or obligation.
He’s heading to the north east for his medical.
— Mark McAdam (@markmcadamtv) August 30, 2024
Mepham’s departure has been on the cards for some time, with the player himself openly discussing the possibility in January.
Mepham joined the club from Brentford for a fee in-excess of £10 million in January 2019. Whilst Mepham has never truly been a first-choice regular at the club, he has enjoyed spells of regular game time. Under former head coaches Scott Parker and Gary O’Neil, Mepham made 26 Premier League appearances including 24 starts, spanning 2,198 minutes of top-flight football.
However, under current AFC Bournemouth head coach Andoni Iraola, Mepham made just 10 appearances, featuring for just 615 minutes and he hasn’t played a second of competitive football so far this season.
Mepham finds himself behind Marcos Senesi, Illia Zabarnyi and Dean Huijsen in the pecking order at centre-back, despite the departure of Lloyd Kelly in the summer.
If Mepham has played his final game for the Cherries his overall record reads – 121 appearances in all competitions, including 82 league starts with 50 of those coming in the top flight of English football.
Your say…
kirsikka wrote…
Loan kind of a let down given he’s out of contract next summer. He’s genuinely at least top ten Championship quality and about to enter his prime but we can’t find a buyer for him?
Still, all the best Meps. It never quite happened in the end but it always felt like something got in the way whenever he might be about to make the breakthrough. Always gave his all though, and you can’t ask for more than that.
AFCBade said…
He is a solid defender so no money is disappointing unless there is a decent loan fee. Doesn’t seem like many clubs wanted to buy him which is a shame given he stepped in again at short notice late last season.
Got a lot of criticism but think he did ok for us given he had to step in at short notice knowing he would be dropped straight away when other players were fit. Hard to be a squad player and stay motivated.
Seemed an odd end to his career at afcb but, nevertheless, I wish him well. – To join the conversation, click here.