Sunderland have rejected a €5m offer from Udinese for 22-year-old Pierre Ekwah, and now they face renewed pressure as newly promoted Ligue 1 side AS Saint-Étienne expresses interest in the French midfielder.
West Ham, who sold Ekwah to Sunderland for a modest £350k, cleverly included a 35% sell-on clause in the deal, positioning ourselves for a potential financial boost if Ekwah is sold.
The Black Cats are reportedly holding out for £7m for the midfielder which could yield the Hammers a £2m cash injection at just the right time. A top club insider told C&H, “We decided to let the lad go because at the time, nobody was sure he’d make it”.
It seems the prudent decision to allow the midfielder to leave is about to have a major benefit on the cash strapped Irons transfer fund.
At the beginning of this, Sunderland’s manager, Régis Le Bris, acknowledged that Ekwah could depart amid growing interest. Udinese made the first move with a €5m bid, but it was turned down by the Championship club. Now, Saint-Étienne, desperate to strengthen after losing their first two Ligue 1 matches, are targeting Ekwah as they seek a holding midfielder.
The French side had previously considered RC Lens’ Salis Abdul Samed and Salzburg’s Mamady Diambou, but their focus has shifted to Ekwah. Sunderland, however, are standing firm, demanding between £6m-£7m for the midfielder.