Championship basement-boys Sunderland will be desperate to cash in on Didier Ndong but Premier League club Watford surely will not buy.
On the face of it, Sunderland have bigger worries than concerning themselves with Didier Ndong’s inability to make an impression since joining Watford on loan in January.
After all a 19th defeat in 37 games this season, against QPR on Saturday, leaves the Black Cats bottom of the Championship table and facing relegation to the third tier for only the second time in their history.
But, on closer inspection, Ndong’s ongoing omission at Vicarage Road just adds to the problems facing Sunderland’s beleaguered boss Chris Coleman.
Sunderland were hoping to cash in on their £13.6 million record signing in January in order to fund new additions but Watford refused to buy outright, instead demanding that they would only take the Gabonese midfielder on a temporary deal.
It is understood that Watford could make his loan permanent for £8 million. But, according to the Hertfordshire Mercury, Ndong has to play a certain number of games before that clause is triggered.
Sunderland, who are up to their eyes in debt and stuck with an owner who simply cannot find a buyer to take the club off his hands, could really do with that £8 million windfall with League One looming large.
But, worryingly, Ndong is yet to play a single minute for Watford, a no-show in each of the five league games since he joined.
And, according to the Mercury, manager Javi Gracia has no special reason for leaving Ndong out; he just feels that the 23-year-old does not currently warrant a place in his match day squad.
So the chances of Watford signing Ndong permanently look very slim already.
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