Trabz set to Turk a chance on Cats’ ace
TRABZONSPOR have firmed up their interest in Sunderland midfielder Didier Ndong.
It had been claimed the Super Lig club, long-time admirers of the Black Cats’ record signing, had been encouraging Ndong and his teammate Papy Djilobodji to buy out their Stadium of Light contracts to facilitate a signing.
However, reports in Turkey claim they have made a bid for the 24-yearold. The amount is unknown.
Torino had a £6.6m offer for Ndong accepted in June but his wage demands caused the Serie A club to walk away from the deal.
Whether that will set the benchmark for Sunderland’s asking price, or whether the collapse of the move will cause them to lower it to push through a sale is unclear - but they need Ndong and other high earners off the wage bill.
“At the moment, probably two will have to go out of the way before any come in,” manager Jack Ross cautioned at the weekend, although there is a bid in for Bradford City striker Charlie Wyke.
“Naturally, the more who leave the club, it will help us in a financial sense and it will have a knock-on effect for me as well.”
Lamine Kone, Wahbi Khazri, Bryan Oviedo and Lee Cattermole – barracked by his own supporters during Saturday’s pre-season draw with Hartlepool United – are other former Premier League players taking up wages a League One club cannot sensibly afford.
So far, the Black Cats have only been able to make six free transfer signings but Joel Asoro’s move to Swansea City, confirmed on Saturday, adds £2m to the club’s bank balance.
The only previous sale had been Paddy McNair’s £5m move to Middlesbrough.
Sunderland paid £13.6m for Ndong from Lorient on August deadline day in 2016 but know they will be unable to recoup all of that money.
It was claimed on Friday a bid for Ndong had been turned down, although the source and amount were not known.
Ndong has wanted to leave ever since the Wearsiders were relegated from the Premier League at the end of his first season.
However, Sunderland were unable to find a club prepared to take him on his and their terms last summer and in January he was loaned to Watford for the rest of the season.
Despite the Black Cats’ initial insistence, the Hornets refused to include an obligation to buy in the deal and their stance was perhaps justified when he failed to play a minute for them.
Ndong refused to go on Sunderland’s pre-season training camp in Portugal and has not featured in the friendlies against Darlington and Hartlepool.
It is hard to see him playing for the club again and would-be buyers may try to use this to push the price down - particularly if they are to accommodate his wage demands.
Trabzonspor are looking for a replacement for midfielder Okay Yokuslu, who has joined Celta Viga.
However, the man in charge of Trabzonspor’s transfer policy claimed the club’s priorities lay elsewhere.
Former coach and president Ozkan Sumer said: “We would like to add a defender first. We will sign a winger in the future.”