SUNDERLAND and Bournemouth officials will sit down in the summer to decide the next step for Chris Mepham on the back of his hugely successful loan spell on Wearside.

Mepham has been immense since linking up with the Black Cats on a temporary switch and has started 24 of their 30 Championship games so far this season.

It's not only on the pitch the experienced defender has made an impact, with Kristjaan Speakman revealing the Wales international is part of Sunderland's leadership team.

Given his importance on and off the pitch, Speakman was this week asked why Sunderland didn't attempt to make Mepham's loan deal at the Stadium of Light permanent in the January transfer window, as they did with Wilson Isidor.

"I think Chris's situation is slightly different to Wilson's," said Speakman.

"Chris has had an unbelievable impact, I was going to say the team but it would be better to say the football club, because of the way he carries himself around the training ground, how he is as part of our leadership team even as a loan player.

"It just echoes how important he is and has been. I think that's just a conversation we will pick up at the end of the season.

"From Chris's perspective and from our perspective, and from Bournemouth's perspective - that was always the plan."

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Mepham's current Bournemouth contract is due to expire in the summer but the defender has previously said the Cherries have the option of a 12-month extension.

Asked early in the season whether he was keen on making his Sunderland switch permanent, Mepham said: "I don't want to look too far ahead.

"I think naturally you keep it week by week because a lot can happen in a short period of time.

“Like I said, I think the most important thing for me at this stage of my career is just playing football and getting regular game time which is something I've probably missed over the last couple of years."