Sunderland to sue duo over absences

Sunderland intend to sue two of their players for punitive damages after they failed to return to training following the club’s relegation to League One.

Former Chelsea defender Papy Djilobodji has already been told that Sunderland intend to terminate his contract after he returned to training a month late and then failed routine fitness tests.

Similar action is likely against former Lorient midfielder Didier Ndong, the club’s record signing at £13.6million, after he also failed to return over the summer.

Djilobodji, signed for £8million in the summer of 2016, was given a month’s unpaid leave in July in order to try to find a new club, but when he was unable to do so still refused to return. The Senegalese ignored several written instructions to resume training, and when he finally did reappear, on Sept 5, he was in not in shape to play or train with the first team.

Sunderland believe this gives them grounds to dismiss a player who earns around £30,000 a week, although Djilobodji is likely to launch an appeal.

The club believe a precedent to seek punitive damages was set by Chelsea when they sued striker Adrian Mutu after sacking him for failing a drugs test in 2004.

Sunderland released a statement which said: “Sunderland AFC has given notice under its contract with Papy Djilobodji.

“Djilobodji, who was under contract until June 2020, indicated in June 2018 that he wished to leave the club. In order to facilitate that desire, the club entered into a written agreement with the player allowing him to spend the month of July on voluntary unpaid leave.

“When that period came to an end, the player was expected either to leave for a new club – having reached a deal satisfactory to himself and SAFC – or to return in shape to play professional football.

“Instead, he returned to Sunderland over a month later, in the first week of September, ignoring written requests for his return. On his return, he was subjected to the same fitness test that his fellow professionals had undertaken on their return. He comprehensively failed that test.

“As a result, Sunderland AFC can confirm that it has accepted Papy Djilobodji’s repudiatory breaches of contract and notice of the same has been provided to the player.”