When Sunderland accomplished the signing of Didier Ndong in 2016, they thought they have been getting one of many brightest up-and-coming midfield abilities in Europe.
Linked with a bunch of different golf equipment across the continent, the Black Cats fought off the competitors to land the Gabon worldwide for a club-record payment of £13.6m.
The combative Ndong went on to make 31 appearances for David Moyes’ males, however Sunderland struggled and ended the season backside, having spent all bar two weeks of the marketing campaign within the relegation zone.
Nonetheless, the hope was that Ndong may encourage the Mackems to an instantaneous return to the highest tier of English soccer.
Err, not fairly. His 18th Championship look, which noticed him despatched off in a 4-0 defeat by Cardiff, was additionally his final for the membership.
Ndong rapidly engineered a mortgage transfer to Premier League Watford, however he didn’t play a single recreation for the Hornets and was quickly again on the Stadium of Mild.
The Gabonese didn’t take kindly to this improvement, however his wages made it tough for him to safe a transfer away from a membership that was now in League One.
Caught between a profitable rock and a tough (poorer-paying) place, Ndong discovered a solution to rile up a fan base that had already been by way of the mill.
On an opulent journey to Morocco, the midfielder outraged the Sunderland trustworthy by posting photographs of a lodge swimming pool on social media.
Fearing arrest for breach of contract if he have been to return to the UK, Ndong tried to remain away for so long as attainable.
Then, in September 2018, Sunderland sacked him. Ndong ultimately agreed to pay again €4m in authorized compensation when he joined a brand new membership, which proved to be Guingamp.
In Ndong’s first season with the French outfit, they have been relegated.
A model of this story initially appeared within the October 2023 problem of FourFourTwo journal. Subscribe today!
Extra tales
Arsenal are plotting a January swoop for Brentford striker Ivan Toney, in keeping with studies.
Manchester United gamers have urged Jadon Sancho to apologise to Erik ten Hag in order that he can finish his isolation from the first-team squad.
And take a look at our rating of the prime 10 goalkeepers of the twenty first century.