TAKEOVER UPDATE: Latest on Sunderland’s ownership situation & our managerial model going forward

Sources close to the club have told Roker Report this afternoon that prospective Sunderland owner Stewart Donald has received some positive messages from the EFL regarding their due dilligence, and is expecting to hear something definitive from them towards the end of this week.

Donald’s former club, Eastleigh FC, yesterday confirmed that he had agreed to sell the club to remaining board members - one of the conditions he was expected to meet in order to push through his purchase of Sunderland.

Despite the situation dragging on for a number of weeks now, the process which the EFL undertake when giving an ownership change the go ahead is often a long and drawn out one, but with all key details - such as proof of funds - provided by Donald and his team some time ago it’s understood that both the new and old owners have tried to apply pressure to the governing body in order to push through a sale as quickly as possible.

Ellis Short is incredibly keen to get the deal over the line, and has held meetings this week with the EFL in order to ensure that a resolution is met.

Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images

And on the manager front - whilst rumours have circulated that the new owners would prefer to adopt a ‘Director of Football’ model going forward, our sources have told us that the plans - in the short term at least - are for the club to appoint a strong leader going forward that has full control of goings on.

When a Director of Football model is adopted it often muddies the waters, and with Sunderland’s next appointment being perhaps the most important one in the club’s history it’s our understanding that the new owners are set on just having one man at the very top - and already know who they want to put in charge once they are able to do so.

The man on everybody’s lips is Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder, who is priced at 1/4 to be Chris Coleman’s replacement in the Stadium of Light hot-seat. Wilder worked previously with Stewart Donald at Oxford United and has recently refused to dismiss speculation that he’ll be the next Sunderland manager when questioned by the South Yorkshire press.