Sunderland have been trying hard without success to get rid of want-away pair Papy Djilobodji and Didier Ndong for many months now - and finally it appears as though they’ve had a breakthrough.
Both players are edging closer to the exit door and the club are incredibly confident that they’ll both be long gone by the time the transfer window shuts.
Neither Djilobodji or Ndong have reported back to training since pre-season began, and its understood that legal measures were taken as both men were within a breach of contract.
Both Sunderland and their agents have been working hard to find the duo new clubs over recent months. Ndong could have gone to Torino right at the start of the transfer window but that move fell apart, whilst locating a club that are prepared to take former Chelsea defender Djilobodji off our hands has proven to be slightly more difficult.
But good news over the last 24 hours has club officials feeling confident that they’ll be able to get both men out of the door after the weekend - and the money recouped in both wages and fees will help us to recruit before the transfer window closes.
Sunderland still want a winger and a striker as a priority, and would chase another central midfield player in the event of Lee Cattermole leaving - he has several clubs that are very interested in taking him off our hands, but with his wages an issue it’ll take some serious negotiating in order to work out a deal that suits all parties.