Sunderland agree deal for highly-rated Spain youth international | OneFootball

Highlights

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At the moment, everything appears to be coming together at Sunderland.

Tony Mowbray's men are fresh off the back of a season that saw them surge to the play-offs against all odds during their very first year back from their League One hiatus, all the while boasting the youngest squad in the division.

This has, of course, been engineered by the ambitious and progressive ownership of French businessman Kyril Louis-Dreyfus, who has breathed a new sense of life into the Stadium of Light and constructed a sustainable, promising philosophy on-and-off the pitch that looks set to bear fruit for years to come.

Chiefly, Sunderland are now orientated around players with their best years still firmly ahead, and they are evidently following a shrewd buy low, sell high model that will help them to remain financially healthy in the future, a welcomed contrast to the fortunes under former owner Ellis Short.

And this summer, having tried their hand at a top-flight return, they have not rested upon their laurels and their transfer business reflects the long-term vision possessed by the key decision-makers at the club with Luis Semedo, Jobe Bellingham, Nectarios Triantis and Jenson Seelt- not one over the age of 20- have all signed thus far.

Now, they are set to be accompanied by young striker Eliezer Mayenda, who has completed an agreement to sign for Sunderland, as per Fabrizio Romano.

Who is new Sunderland signing Eliezer Mayenda?

The 18-year-old has spent his fledgling career to date with French side Sochaux, for whom he made 15 appearances for last campaign in Ligue 2 as they finished in 9th position.

In that time, Mayenda only clocked up 278 minutes worth of game time and started just once in a late season defeat to Guingamp, although he did manage to come off the bench and score his first senior goal against Annecy FC back in February during a routine 5-1 victory.

Mayenda was born in Spain and has represented his birth nation at under-17 level, where he has earned a sole cap to date in a Portuguese youth tournament.

Is Eliezer Mayenda a good signing for Sunderland?

It is hard to say too much about Mayenda at the moment given his sheer lack of experience within senior football.

There is not a great deal to go off right now, but Sunderland usually get it right when recruiting young players so there is every chance that the Spaniard could well blossom into a future star over time.

It shows that they are looking to continue their strategy and build the foundations in the long-run, and that is something that should only excite and please supporters moving forward.

Naturally, Mayenda will most likely spend a bit of time with Sunderland's under-21's to begin with, where Mowbray will be able to monitor him, before graduating straight into the first-team due to the rigors of adapting to English football, but further down the line he will no doubt get an opportunity to show his worth for the club.

Ultimately, it does represent something of a gamble, but Sunderland have taken so many of them over the last couple of years that have paid off handsomely and Mayenda could well follow suit.