Sunderland owner Ellis Short will sell the club for a cut-price of £85million after relegation
Black Cats owner held a meeting with German bidders who are battling with a US consortium for the club
ELLIS SHORT will take a cut-price £85million to sell Sunderland — as a German group fights a US consortium for the club.
Black Cats owner Short held meetings with the mystery German bidders in London this week.
The businessman is willing to flog Sunderland after relegation, but the Germans are only offering £50m.
Short will give both potential buyers until the end of the month to do a deal, or he will stay.
He has also told chief executive Martin Bain to provide a list of candidates for the vacant manager’s post, regardless of the uncertainty over the club’s ownership.
But money is proving a big problem. David Moyes wanted £50m to be spent before deciding to quit.
Derek McInnes was happy to work with £20m, but opted to stay at Aberdeen when that figure was LOWERED last week.
The sale of keeper Jordan Pickford to Everton brings in £20m, with the rest in extras. But Short wants that cash to pay off debts.
So the next boss will have to work with just £15m to spend on new talent, despite a small squad in need of drastic improvement.
The German group is proposing an even SMALLER budget than Short, a fact that is sure to concern long-suffering fans.
Bain is under pressure after the embarrassing failure to get McInnes.
Preston’s Simon Grayson and Barnsley boss Paul Heckingbottom are in the frame.