SORT IT OUT – QUICK!
Legend wants quick resolution to duo’s situation – as Papy nears exit
Legend Gary Bennett hopes Sunderland can this week resolve the summer-long Didier Ndong saga, having warned the AWOL midfielder he risked being ‘forgotten about’.
Ndong is wanted by Benfica and former skipper Bennett hopes the club will be able to get him and Papy Djilobodji off the books.
The pair both failed to report back to pre-season training and as a result have not been getting paid by Sunderland.
Jack Ross hopes a conclusion over their futures can be reached ahead of Friday’s transfer deadline for clubs across Europe.
Ndong, who Sunderland signed for £13.6million two years ago, joined Watford on loan last January but didn’t play a single minute.
He hasn’t played a competitive game since Sunderland’s 4-0 January defeat to Cardiff City and even that finished early when Ndong was shown red.
Bennett believes it would be a major boost for Sunderland if they can ship the pair out.
Bennett – who made more than 350 Sunderland appearances – said: “It is hanging over the club. It is easy to say ‘get rid of them’ but it isn’t that easy for the football club.
“You are talking about players with a couple of years left on their contracts, on very good money, that good a level of money that other clubs can’t afford them.
“Even if you ship them out on loan just to get them out the club and to ease the wage bill that would be fantastic, but it is easier said than done.
“They will have to come to some sort of agreement somewhere along the line because it cannot linger on; they haven’t turned up for training and are not part of the club.
“OK, they are on good money, but they need to pursue their careers too and to do that you need to be playing football.
“Ndong has barely played this year and sooner or later he will be forgotten about – they are not doing themselves any good.
“It is OK saying you are training on your own but you need to be training at a tempo, at a standard – day in, day out – to maintain his international career as well, never mind his club career.
“That is the same for Djilobodji. You soon lose your fitness and if you do that, then you will struggle to find a new club.”
Ross is still hoping to add new signings before Friday’s loan deadline, with Celtic winger Ryan Christie on his wanted list.
Sunderland have also been credited with an interest in Swindon Town’s goalscoring midfielder Michael Doughty, though he only joined them this summer and it remains to be seen whether they’d allow him to leave on loan.
Bennett has been impressed with Sunderland’s transfer business but believes Ross will want another striker. He added: “Jack Ross knows that they are a striker or two players short to give them more depth. That is what you need, when you look at the amount of games Sunderland have to play.”