Which Belgian full-back joined Sunderland on a free transfer in summer 2026?

The Belgian full-back who joined Sunderland on a free transfer in summer 2026 was Thomas Meunier.

Sunderland signed Meunier after his contract with Lille expired, so no transfer fee was paid to his former club. The experienced right-back agreed a two-year contract and brought European and international experience to Sunderland’s return to top-level English football.

Meunier began his senior career at Virton before becoming a regular at Club Brugge. His performances there earned a move to Paris Saint-Germain, where he won domestic honours, followed by spells at Borussia Dortmund, Trabzonspor and Lille. He also became an established Belgium international and was part of the squad that reached the 2018 World Cup semi-finals.

The answer is sometimes confused with other Belgian defenders. Arthur Theate is primarily a centre-back, Thomas Foket is another Belgian right-back, and Timothy Castagne can play at full-back on either side. None of those players made Sunderland’s 2026 free-transfer move.