Lille president Olivier Letang has hit back at claims from Sunderland’s Thomas Meunier that he was behind the Belgian defender’s exit this summer.
Following his transfer from Lille to Sunderland, Meunier gave an account of his move to the Premier League.
Now, Lille president Letang – who says he remains fond of Meunier – has responded, claiming the defender asked for four times the club’s highest salary to stay in France which was something he was not prepared to sanction.
Meunier joined Sunderland on a free transfer and the Belgium international had previously expressed a desire to remain with the Ligue 1 club, suggesting the decision to part company came from above.
Speaking before completing his move to the Stadium of Light, Meunier described the outcome as “more the president’s decision than mine”.
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Letang has now offered his version of events in comments carried by French outlet RTL. He claimed the 34-year-old’s wage demands made a new agreement impossible within the club’s financial structure.
“I adore Thomas Meunier, and I sent him a quick hello,” Letang said. “He said I was the one who decided he shouldn’t stay. But if you ask me for four times the club’s highest salary…”
Letang said he was unwilling to break Lille’s wage structure, even for a player he wanted to retain.
“What do you think I’m going to say? I’m going to say, ‘no, that’s not possible.’ I’d like to, but I can’t.’ Because I’ve set a framework for myself, and I don’t want to deviate from it.”
Meanwhile, Sunderland have announced that highly-rated teenager Joe Cowan has signed his first professional contract with the club.
The 17-year-old, who has been with the Black Cats for close to a decade and has risen through the Academy ranks and broken into the U21 squad over the last year, featuring for both the U21 and U18 sides and impressing with his performances at a young age.
On signing his first contract, Cowan said: “I’m over the moon to sign this contract. I’ve been here around 10 years, so it’s amazing to have signed it. I want to say thank you to everyone who has helped me because the coaches and my family, I wouldn’t have been at this moment if it wasn’t for them.”
Head of Academy, John Hewitson, added: “We are really pleased that Joe has committed his future to the club. He has been at the academy for a long time and a lot of staff members have contributed to his development, and to see him progressing so well is really nice to see. Joe knows that this is only the beginning and there is a lot of hard work to come in the future.”
