Shock Sunderland and AFC Bournemouth agreement can be a masterstroke: View | OneFootball

Nobody saw the signing of Chris Mepham coming, but his signing from AFC Bournemouth could prove to be an astute piece of business for Sunderland.

In and amongst Sunderland's busy transfer deadline day, there was one surprising transfer which caught the eye.

All the talk on Wearside had been about potential strikers who could be heading to the Stadium of Light, and after a series of names were linked with the club, it was Ahmed Abdullahi who signed from KAA Gent.

However, the name that caught fans by surprise was in fact Chris Mepham. The Wearsiders signed the Welsh international on a season-long loan from Bournemouth, and he will provide more than worthy competition at centre-back.

Indeed, the signing of Mepham is a wise one and, given his vast experience, it could be one that sets Sunderland apart from the rest of the division.

Mepham will strengthen Sunderland's back line

Although Sunderland's back line is a strength, the signing of Mepham will further bolster the centre-back position. Last season, Sunderland had the fifth-best defence in the division, with only 54 goals conceded.

This season, the Black Cats' back line have continued their fine form at the back, with only one goal conceded in their opening four Championship matches. Furthermore, that goal was scored by Sunderland club captain, Luke O'Nien.

Mepham is a vastly experienced defender with a wealth of experience across the Premier League and Championship, and at 26, is entering his prime. During his stints at Brentford and Bournemouth, the defender has accumulated 169 appearances and has experienced promotion with the Cherries.

Compared to the rest of Sunderland's team, Mepham has vital experience that the rest are lacking. Given his Premier League pedigree, he could also prove to be something of a role model for the Wearsiders' young side.

The Welsh international is of a similar profile to Dan Ballard and is someone who thrives in a tackle and loves making crucial interceptions. With 36 international caps to his name, Mepham will be staking a claim for a place in Regis Le Bris' starting eleven.

Sunderland need cover for injury prone duo

As proven in recent weeks, Sunderland possess several injury-prone players at centre-back.

On Saturday, Dan Ballard played his first game of the season following a knee injury which kept him out for most of the pre-season and the start of the competitive campaign.

Ironically, the return of Ballard coincided with the loss of Aji Alese, who sustained an ankle injury in training. Having made a promising start to the season, the 23-year-old is now set to miss around 12 weeks of action, according to Le Bris.

While Alese and Ballard both provide excellent options at centre-back, they both have awful injury records. Indeed, Alese's injury caused the Black Cats to enter the market for a new centre-back, and the club should be praised for acting as swiftly as they did.

Given the strenuous nature of the Championship season, it would be wishful thinking to expect Ballard and Alese to be fit for every single game, and therefore, the signing of Mepham makes complete sense.

Sunderland's hierarchy should be applauded for not only signing a centre-back, but for signing one who is arguably an upgrade on what they already had.

Sunderland already possess a solid defence but have injury-prone players, meaning the singing of Mepham was essential.