Monday 24 September 2018 12:26, UK
Didier Ndong has no future at Sunderland despite finally arriving back in the North East after a four-month absence, Sky Sports News has been told.
The Gabon midfielder was pictured at Newcastle Airport on Saturday and Sunderland have been advised he is on Tyneside somewhere but are not expecting him back at training.
The 24-year-old failed to show at the club's training ground on Monday, on what was a scheduled day off for the players.
Ndong had been quoted in a Gabon news outlet over the weekend as saying he would take a pay cut to play again this season for Sunderland - that after his last realistic escape route of 2018 closed when the Portuguese transfer window shut on Friday.
Sunderland's club-record £13.6m signing had earlier failed to show for pre-season after a £7m transfer to Torino fell through after he failed to agree personal terms.
Former team-mate Papy Djilobodji also refused to show for pre-season training and when he did finally appear earlier this month he was put through a fitness test and sacked when the results were deemed unsatisfactory.
The fact Sunderland waited for £8m-signing Djilobodji to finally appear before informing him his contract would be terminated suggests a similar situation could arise with Ndong.
Sacking Ndong would mean writing off a transfer fee, but would remove him from the club's wage bill.
Seb Ewan of Sport Invest is reported to be representing the player, but when contacted by Sky Sports News Ewan said he is aware of the player but he is not his agent.
Two weeks ago, club owner Stewart Donald claimed he had no idea where Ndong was but is now aware he is back in the North East.
Manager Jack Ross said: "There has been no contact with me. In terms of me having him back in the playing squad, we have gone a long way beyond that point, I think."
