Sunderland sign former Atlético Madrid defender Reinildo Mandava for a two-year agreement.
Sunderland are ready to recruit experienced left-back Reinildo Mandava, with the 31-year-old scheduled to sign a two-year contract with the club on Monday in Madrid.
The Mozambique international has been a free agent since leaving Atlético Madrid, and transfer source Rudy Galetti reports that the final paperwork will be completed at the beginning of the week. In an update on X (previously Twitter), Galetti wrote: “Reinildo will officially sign his two-year contract with Sunderland on Monday in Madrid.” The transaction was entirely agreed upon, as announced days ago: the athlete will begin his next chapter in the United Kingdom.”
Reinildo has spent the last two seasons in Spain after leaving Lille, where he helped the French club win the Ligue 1 title in 2020-21. Since joining Atlético in early 2022, he has played 74 games in all competitions, including La Liga, the Champions League, and the FIFA Club World Cup.
Fabrizio Romano, a transfer analyst, confirmed Sunderland’s move earlier this week, saying on his own social media accounts: “Reinildo to Sunderland, here we go! The left back expected to arrive from Atlético Madrid has signed a two-year contract.
Despite interest from Leeds United and Crystal Palace, Reinildo has decided to join Sunderland ahead of their Premier League return. The Black Cats are thought to have established a specific role for the defender, with head coach Régis Le Bris eager to bring top-tier experience to a young squad.
The transfer is part of a larger redevelopment of the Stadium of Light. Reinildo is likely to fight with Dennis Cirkin for the left-back position, but his versatility and leadership may allow him to play a larger role in the squad both on and off the ball.
The Spanish club confirmed Reinildo’s departure from Atlético on Monday morning, with a statement on their official English-language social media account reading: “An example of dedication, fortitude, and heart, of overcoming… Thank you very much for defending our colors over the years, Rei! We wish you the best in your future endeavors.”
In an emotional farewell, Reinildo said, “Thank you so much to the club for giving me the opportunity to be part of the enormous Atlético de Madrid family. Thank you to my teammates for treating me so wonderfully from the moment I arrived. Thank you to Captain Koke, who came to visit me from the beginning – even before we knew one other – and made me feel like I was in a dream. Finally, I’d like to thank the fans for their unwavering support and for consistently giving me goosebumps. They’re the best in the world. I will always support this club. “Aúpa atleti!”
Reinildo is likely to join a Sunderland team that is close to completing the club-record £30 million purchase of Strasbourg midfielder Habib Diarra, as well as the £17.5 million signing of Noah Sadiki, which was announced to the public on Friday evening.
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