Black Cats agree to an amicable split with stayaway midfielder

COMPENSATION TO COME FROM NEW CLUB

SUNDERLAND will receive £3.5m if Didier Ndong finds a new club in January, according to reports in the midfielder’s homeland.

The figure is £2m less than Torino offered for the 24-year-old Gabon international in June but, considering how much he has damaged his own value in the interim, it probably represents a decent result for the Black Cats.

They paid a club-record £13.6m for the midfielder on August deadline day in 2016 but have cut their losses by sacking him.

Ndong and Papy Djilobodji failed to report for training in pre-season in an attempt to force a transfer.

When his wage demands were too high for the Serie A side, he was unable to find a new club.

Sunderland announced yesterday they had reached an “amicable” severance agreement with the 24-yearold. Gabonese website isport claims that, as part of that agreement, the Black Cats will be due £3.5m compensation if Ndong signs for a new club before October 4, 2019.

If he fails to, Sunderland could have recourse to sue him via the English courts, or to pursue the matter through Fifa.

Because he only became a free agent after the transfer window closed, Ndong will not be able to join a new club until the next one opens, in January.

By then he will not have played competitively for nearly a year.

Ndong has played 88 minutes since picking up an injury at Middlesbrough on November 5. His last appearance was at Cardiff City on January 13, when he was sent off.

After that he joined Watford on loan until the end of the seasonbut did not play a single minute.

Initially Sunderland were only prepared to send him to Vicarage Road with a guarantee the deal would be made permanent, but were forced to back down in the absence of suitable alternative interest.

As part of the agreement, Ndong is free to train with other clubs until he secures a move.

Ndong had wanted to leave Wearside since they were relegated from the Premier League in his debut season but the club were unable to find a taker. He took a 40 per cent pay cut upon relegation but his wages were unchanged when they dropped into League One 12 months later.

Ndong stayed away from Sunderland until after the Portuguese transfer window closed on September 21, having been linked with a move to Benfica. As soon as he returned to the Academy of Light he too was served notice of his dismissal without being put through a fitness test.

The Black Cats have financial commitments to meet as a condition of owner Stewart Donald’s takeover of the club in May.

Donald had to agree to a business plan - Forward Financial Information - which ran the club on a more sustainable basis, the main part of which is reducing the club’s wage bill - the likes of Ndong and Djilobodji on wages which reflect the fact they joined a Premier League club.

Academy-produced youngsters Denver Hume, Josh Maja, Lynden Gooch, George Honeyman and Max Stryjek are out of contract at the end of the season.

Goalkeeper Stryjek is on loan at Eastleigh but the rest have played in the first team. Maja is the top-scorer and Honeyman the captain.

Although Ndong’s departure puts the Black Cats in a healthier financial position it is not expected to change the situation with regards to those contract negotiations.

The money was there anyway to make offers to the likes of Maja, allowing talks to take place, just not necessarily the leeway in the business plan.