Sunderland know promotion will eliminate one Chris Mepham factor in Bournemouth transfer saga | OneFootball

Promotion to the Premier League could mean Sunderland overcome barrier to signing the defender permanently.

While players like Chris Rigg and Wilson Isidor have stolen the headlines for their exploits in front of goal, one Sunderland player has gone under the radar.

Much of the talk on Wearside has been about Sunderland's young assets and rightly so: the club possess an array of young talent who have been lighting up the Championship.

However, Chris Mepham has proven that he is one of the second-tier's leading centre-backs. While there may be a stumbling block in the Black Cats' attempts to land the defender on a permanent deal, promotion should provide the solution.

Chris Mepham has been integral to Sunderland's success

Since his summer move from Premier League outfit Bournemouth, Mepham has excelled in the nucleus of Sunderland's back line.

The 26-year-old arrived on deadline day after an injury sustained by Aji Alese, who remains sidelined. Although the circumstances that brought the defender to Wearside were unfortunate, the Black Cats are now reaping the rewards.

While many knew the Welshman would be a cut above the Championship, he had to remain patient for his opportunity as Luke O'Nien and Dan Ballard were considered the first-choice centre-back pairing.

Inevitably, Mepham's opportunity came after an injury sustained by Ballard, who, like Alese, has endured a torrid time with such issues.

Since the Bournemouth loanee's debut, he has made the centre-back position his own and has enjoyed a flourishing partnership with fan favourite O'Nien.

Mepham has shown that he is a class above at Championship level, with his authoritative displays. The 26-year-old has demonstrated composure in and out of possession and has been phenomenal in a tackle.

Considering that the defender is on a season-long loan, the club should be planning a permanent move for the player, who would be a valuable addition.

Mepham's wages could be an issue for Sunderland

Credit must go to Sunderland's hierarchy, who have structured a significantly low wage bill in the Championship.

According to Capology, the club's highest-earning permanent player is Ballard, who is estimated to be earning £25,000-a-week. While this is an estimation, this figure is far from the ludicrous wages the club dished out in the past.

The website also estimates that Mepham is the club's highest earner on £35,000-a-week, although it is unknown what percentage of his salary the Wearsiders are paying.

Considering how shrewd Kristjaan Speakman has been when agreeing players' wages, it is unlikely the club are paying the entirety of the Welshman's weekly wage.

The Black Cats' hierarchy have shown in the past that they will not pay over the odds for players and have stuck to a fairly strict wage structure under Kyril Louis-Dreyfus, which throws up a potential stumbling block when it comes to the Cherries loanee as if Sunderland fail to achieve promotion, then acquiring Mepham permanently will prove challenging.

Promotion to the Premier League would provide Mepham solution

If Sunderland were to achieve promotion to the Premier League, then a permanent deal for Mepham would be significantly more attainable.

Presumably, promotion would mean the Black Cats could operate with a higher wage bill, meaning that the club would be able to at least match the 26-year-old's Bournemouth wages.

While it is likely that Speakman would continue to implement a similar wage model to the one they currently have, Premier League football would require an altered approach.

Of course, this scenario is hypothetical, and given Mepham's impact, he will likely have a host of suitors who could offer him a more lucrative deal.

However, Sunderland fans will be hopeful that the centre-back would like to continue his stint on Wearside, considering how successful it has been to this point.

Mepham has been immense since signing on loan from Bournemouth and the defender has established himself as one of the first names on Regis Le Bris' team sheet.

The Black Cats will be keen to turn the player's loan deal into a permanent one but will know that promotion will likely offer the only solution to acquiring his services.

For now, Sunderland