The Tactical Void of the £22 Million Sale

A Sudden French Departure

The transfer news broke quickly on Sunday morning and sent shockwaves through the Wearside fanbase. According to the latest updates from Sky Sports, Eliezer Mayenda is currently undergoing a medical in France ahead of a permanent move. Rennes have agreed to a fee of £22 million for the forward, marking one of the most surprising transfers of the summer.

On paper, this is a financial masterstroke for a player who scored only twice in the Premier League last season. Yet tactical setups are rarely built on balance sheets alone, and manager Régis Le Bris now faces a sudden void in his attacking rotation just three weeks before a major pre-season test. The departure leaves Sunderland without their primary space-stretching forward at a critical moment in their pre-season preparation.

Sunderland are scheduled to face Andoni Iraola’s Liverpool in Nashville on July 25, which is now just twenty days away. Without Mayenda's unique tactical profile, the dynamics of that game change entirely. Le Bris must adapt his transition play immediately to avoid being overrun in Tennessee by a highly aggressive opponent.

Why Franck Haise Wanted Mayenda

To understand why Rennes were willing to part with such a hefty sum, one must examine the specific tactical requirements of their manager. Franck Haise, appointed in February, has spent the summer looking for forwards who fit his intensive vertical transition game. Mayenda fits the exact profile Haise utilized to great success during his highly successful tenure at Lens.

In Haise's preferred 3-4-2-1 shape, the lone striker is rarely tasked with being a traditional target man who stays central. Instead, they must run the channels relentlessly, pulling opposing defenders out of position to create space for the two inverted playmakers behind them. Mayenda's lateral movement, combined with his willingness to sprint into wide spaces, makes him an ideal candidate for this role.

French football is also familiar territory for the 21-year-old Spanish forward, who developed his game at Sochaux before moving to England. Rennes are gambling that his physical traits will translate to high-volume output in Ligue 1 under Haise's tutelage. As noted on the Sky Sports live blog, the French club moved rapidly to secure his signature ahead of several other European suitors.

Mayenda's value to Sunderland was never about raw goal-scoring volume. In the 2025-26 campaign, the Spaniard started only twelve matches and averaged just 1.4 shots per 90 minutes. His real utility lay in his high-intensity pressing triggers and his lateral channel runs that disrupted opposing defensive lines.

When Granit Xhaka took possession in the middle third, Mayenda's diagonal sprints dragged opposing center-backs wide and created space. This movement opened the inside channel for Simon Adingra to cut in from the left wing and shoot. Without that decoy runner, Sunderland's possession risks becoming static and predictable against Premier League opposition.

Furthermore, Mayenda was highly active out of possession, averaging 18.7 pressures per 90 to trigger Sunderland's mid-block traps. Replacing that defensive work rate in the frontline is not as simple as signing a traditional goalscorer.

The Flaw in the Windfall

Let us not sugarcoat the reality of last season's attack, which was often toothless despite the team's success. Sunderland secured a remarkable seventh-place finish, but their forward line was frequently static and struggled to break low blocks. Brian Brobbey topped the club's scoring charts with just 7 goals in the league.

Mayenda himself was highly wasteful when opportunities did fall his way inside the box. He accumulated 4.6 expected goals (xG) but finished with only two, showing a clear weakness in one-on-one situations. His shot conversion rate sat at a dismal 6.1 percent, which is far below the level required for a European campaign.

The danger is that Sunderland pocket the cash and fail to recruit a forward who fits Le Bris's high-octane system. If the recruitment team relies solely on Brobbey's physical presence, they will struggle in both the Premier League and the Europa League. The upcoming friendly in Nashville will expose these depth issues immediately if a signing is not made.

Without Mayenda to stretch defenses, opponents will compress the space around Xhaka and Enzo Le Fée. Sunderland's build-up will stagnate if they do not find a way to threaten the space behind the defensive line. The recruitment team must move quickly to secure a replacement who can replicate that vertical threat.

The Midfield Battleground: Xhaka's Shield vs. Szoboszlai's Jump

Xhaka's role as Sunderland's deep playmaker is highly dependent on the movement of the forward line. In Le Bris's 3-2-5 possession shape, the Swiss international drops deep to dictate play alongside Enzo Le Fée. Together, they form a double pivot that acts as the heartbeat of Sunderland's possession phase.

Against Bournemouth, Iraola frequently deployed a man-marking scheme that choked deep playmakers. We can expect Dominik Szoboszlai to jump out of Liverpool's front line to shadow Xhaka directly in Nashville. If Szoboszlai cuts off the passing lanes to Xhaka, Sunderland's progression routes will be forced wide to the fullbacks.

This is where Liverpool's traps are most lethal. When the ball moves to Lutsharel Geertruida at right-back, Liverpool's wingers will trigger a hard press, trapping the fullback against the touchline. Without a mobile forward like Mayenda to offer a vertical out-ball, Geertruida will be forced into risky lateral passes across his own box.

Enzo Le Fée must therefore step up his involvement in the build-up. The French midfielder will need to drop even deeper to create passing triangles with Xhaka and goalkeeper Anthony Patterson. If Le Fée is suffocated by Alexis Mac Allister, Sunderland's midfield will be completely severed from their front line.

Iraola's Pressing Trap in Nashville

Liverpool represent a difficult opponent to face while adjusting to a new attacking shape. Andoni Iraola replaced Arne Slot in June and has already begun drilling his trademark vertical press. Bournemouth fans will recognize the aggressive, man-to-man mid-block he is implementing on Merseyside.

In his final season at Bournemouth, Iraola’s side forced the second-most high turnovers in the division. Against Sunderland's deep build-up, Liverpool will look to lock onto Xhaka and Le Fée. The Spanish manager wants his midfielders to jump high and force rushed clearances.

If Le Bris uses a standard 4-2-3-1 without a mobile forward to stretch the play, Liverpool's high line will compress the pitch. Lutsharel Geertruida and Nordi Mukiele will find themselves under constant pressure when trying to play out from the back. Sunderland will need Chris Rigg to show immense composure in tight spaces to break the first line.

Normally, a long ball over the top to Mayenda would serve as a pressure-release valve. Without that threat, Liverpool can defend with a high line and lock their center-backs in aggressive, forward-facing positions. This will make it incredibly difficult for Sunderland to sustain any possession in the final third.

A Confident Prediction for Geodis Park

Pre-season results are historically deceptive, but tactical systems do not lie. Iraola has a point to prove in his first month at Liverpool. He will treat the match at Geodis Park as a live-fire rehearsal for the Premier League season.

Sunderland will struggle to find an outlet without Mayenda's direct running. Brobbey will likely find himself isolated against Liverpool's center-backs, unable to hold up the ball under intense physical pressure. Adingra will be forced deep to help in buildup, neutering his counter-attacking threat.

Expect Liverpool to dominate the turnover battle in the middle third. They will capitalize on a loose pass from a harried Sunderland midfield to open the scoring early. The match will finish in a comfortable 2-0 victory for Liverpool as Le Bris contemplates his transfer options.

The Sunderland board must reinvest this £22 million immediately. If they enter the new season with only Brobbey as a viable focal point, their European adventure will be short-lived. The tactical flaws are clear, and Liverpool will highlight them for all to see in Nashville.