Sunderland forward Eliezer Mayenda is on the verge of a sensational exit from the Stadium of Light, with French Ligue 1 outfit Stade Rennais and Portuguese titans FC Porto leading a fierce multi-million-pound battle for his signature.
The 21-year-old Spain youth international, whose market valuation has skyrocketed toward the £27.4 million (€32 million) mark, has reportedly become the subject of intense, rapid-fire negotiations that could see him leave Wearside just as the Black Cats prepare for a historic campaign in the UEFA Europa League.
A Meteoric Rise and Unsettled Status
Mayenda has carved out a reputation as one of the most explosive young attacking talents in English football. He cemented his place in Sunderland folklore by scoring the crucial equalizer in the May 2025 Championship play-off final against Sheffield United, paving the way for the club’s dramatic return to the Premier League.
Despite his heroics in securing top-flight promotion and helping Régis Le Bris’ side achieve a historic European qualification spot last term, Mayenda’s individual game time became heavily restricted. After falling behind Wilson Isidor and Brian Brobbey in the Black Cats’ pecking order, speculation regarding his long-term future under Le Bris reached a boiling point.
The rumors were sent into overdrive when Mayenda’s agent, Alfonso Stellitano, posted a picture from the Stadium of Light with the cryptic caption “The Last Dance”, signaling that an exit was inevitable.
The Continental Tug-of-War
Initially, transfer insider Matteo Moretto reported that Portuguese champions FC Porto had stolen a march on the competition, with a deal described as being “on the absolute verge” of completion. While conflicting reports from Portuguese outlet A Bola suggest Porto may be downplaying their interest, French heavyweights Stade Rennais have firmly stepped up their pursuit.
According to reports from [L’Équipe], Rennes are aggressively pushing forward with talks to bring the former FC Sochaux starlet back to France. Having already locked down last season’s top scorer Esteban Lepaul to a new contract, Les Rennais want to pair him with Mayenda to reinforce their frontline ahead of their own European campaign.
Sunderland’s Strong Negotiating Position
While Mayenda is eager to secure regular first-team minutes, Sunderland are under no pressure to sell their prized asset on the cheap. The forward signed a bumper contract extension tying him to the Stadium of Light until June 2030.
Consequently, the Black Cats have placed a steep €25 million to €30 million price tag on his head, fully intending to maximize their profit on a player they originally bought for just €800,000.
With the transfer window heating up and personal terms already being mapped out behind the scenes, Sunderland fans face the stark reality of losing one of their brightest prospects in a truly unexpected summer twist.
