KV Mechelen have announced the signing of Norwegian defender Leo Hjelde from Sunderland. The 22-year-old has signed a deal with KV Mechelen in the Belgian Pro League until 2029, with an option in place to extend this by another season. KV Mechelen have not done much business this summer despite a decent campaign last year and losing some of their key players from that success. The 22-year-old should certainly add to the KV Mechelen defence.
What happened?
KV Mechelen have bolstered their defence by signing Norwegian defender Leo Hjelde from Sunderland. The 22-year-old has signed a deal with KV Mechelen in the Belgian Pro League until 2029, with an option in place to extend this by another season.
Why it matters for Sunderland
The departure of Hjelde is a significant blow to Sunderland, who had signed him in 2024. The 22-year-old had played just 30 games for the Black Cats since joining, and his departure will be a loss for the team.
What comes next?
KV Mechelen should give Hjelde the perfect opportunity to really get his career started. The side opened up their new campaign with a 2-0 defeat away to Gent. Sunderland, meanwhile, are looking to bounce back from a disappointing start to the season. They currently sit 7th in the Premier League, 31 points behind leaders Arsenal, and have a tough fixture list ahead of them. Their next game is against Ipswich on August 22, and they will be looking to get back to winning ways after a 2-1 defeat to Chelsea in their last outing.
League standing
Sunderland currently sit 7th in the Premier League, 31 points behind leaders Arsenal, with a goal difference of -6. They have scored 42 goals and conceded 48 so far this season. Their recent form has been good, with three wins and two draws in their last five games. However, they will need to improve their defence if they are to challenge for a top-six spot this season.
Current squad
Sunderland are currently without Nordi Mukiele and Omar Alderete due to injury. The duo will be looking to return to action as soon as possible and help the team get back to winning ways. With Hjelde's departure, Sunderland will need to strengthen their defence in the coming weeks to avoid a repeat of last season's struggles.
