Sunderland will land sizeable transfer profit despite West Ham clause

The Black Cats are set to offloan two more players this summer

Midfielders Pierre Ekwah and Milan Aleksic are close to deals which will see them leave Sunderland this summer. Frenchman Ekwah is set to join St Etienne on a permanent basis, having spent last season on loan at the French club who were relegated from the top flight.

Aleksic is poised to complete a season-loan switch to Serbian side Partizan Belgrade. A clause for a permanent move was inserted into the terms of Ekwah’s loan deal when he left Wearside last summer, but it was initially reported that St Etienne would be unable to take it up following their relegation from Ligue 1 last season.

Sunderland received a loan fee of around £1m, with the French media reporting that a deal was in place for a potential £6m switch this summer.

It is unlikely that St Etienne would be able to afford that as an up-front fee following their relegation to the second tier, but with Regis Le Bris adamant that Ekwah does not have a future at the Stadium of Light, the Black Cats hierarchy are understood to be willing to discuss a possible compromise deal.