Veteran Belgian international right-back Thomas Meunier left French club Lille after the end of his contract to join Sunderland on a deal until 2028, according to what was announced on Wednesday by the seventh-placed English Premier League club last season.

Meunier, 34, expressed his great happiness and pride in joining the club in a statement published on Sunderland's website.

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He added: "I am very happy to be here and to start this new phase in my football career." He continued: "The English Premier League is one of the most competitive and exciting leagues in the world, and it is a challenge I have always wanted to take on."

Sunderland's sporting director Florent Ghisolfi added that the right-back will bring "vast experience, leadership skills, and a high level of professionalism, in addition to his defensive and offensive skills."

Meunier, who has played 83 international matches for the "Red Devils", joined Lille in 2024 from Turkish side Trabzonspor.

Meunier, who has played for Club Brugge, French side Paris Saint-Germain, and German side Borussia Dortmund, was a key player for Lille, playing 81 matches and leading them to qualify for the UEFA Champions League next season by finishing third last season.

Meunier was selected for the Belgian national team squad participating in the 2026 World Cup, where he played three matches, but missed the quarter-final match that the "Red Devils" lost under the supervision of French coach Rudi Garcia to Spain 1-2.

At Sunderland, he will play under the direction of French coach Regis Le Bris, who led the team to promotion to the Premier League when he joined in the 2024-2025 season, and to seventh place the following season, allowing them to compete in the Europa League.