Sunderland

Sunderland to be tested by Watford enquiry for star midfielder

According to the Mail Online’s transfer blog (January 2 – 15:45), Premier League side Watford have enquired about the availability of Sunderland midfielder Dider Ndong.

The 23-year-old Gabon international cost Sunderland around £14 million, although website transfermarkt.co.uk puts this at £18 million, when he was signed from French side Lorient.

Watford are not thought to be entertaining a bid anywhere in that region, with the Mail Online saying that the Londoners “will be hoping to get him for around £8m.”

It is widely known that Sunderland are in something of a financial predicament at the moment, the Black Cats needing to sell players to fund purchases.

19-cap Gabon international Ndong will be one of the higher profile, higher wage earners that the Wearside club will want to move off the wage bill as they look to restructure and move away from the clutching mire of a relegation battle.

Ndong has featured in 17 of Sunderland’s Sky Bet Championship games this campaign, setting up three assists in his 1,343 minutes on the pitch.

In Sunderland’s ill-fated 2016/17 Premier League campaign, Ndong featured in 31 games, scoring one and providing one assist.

Ndong hasn’t featured in a match day squad for the Black Cats since the 1-1 draw against Birmingham City on December 23 last year – a game he played the last 16 minutes in. Since then he has missed the last three match day squads for games against Sheffield United, Nottingham Forest and Barnsley.

In one way, you could say that Ndong is an expensive luxury in a Sunderland side fighting a battle at the wrong end of the Championship table. Even though the reported £8 million being seen as fair by Watford doesn’t match their £14 million outlay, it would be useful funds to bring in players more suited to the predicament that the Black Cats find themselves in.

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