Didier Ndong

Loan to Watford

Ndong signed for Premier League Watford on loan on 31 January 2018 during the January Transfer Window.^[14] Although signed on a loan, Watford had an option to sign the midfielder on a permanent basis. He was suspended for his first game, following a red card in his final game for Sunderland. However, after the suspension ended, he still did not play for Watford and was an unused substitute only three times during his disappointing four-month loan spell.

Dismissal

Sunderland were relegated to EFL League One at the end of the 2017–18 season and a number of high-profile players, including Ndong, expressed their desire to leave the club rather than play in England's third tier.^[15] In May 2018, Sunderland was bought by Stewart Donald who talked publicly about his intention to get fair prices for outgoing players.^[16] Through the summer transfer window of 2018, Ndong was linked to a number of clubs, including Fiorentina, Benfica and Torino, the latter of which agreed a £6.6m fee for the player, but Ndong's personal demands proved to be a stumbling block.^[17] By the time the players were due to return for pre-season training on 2 July, a move had not materialised. Ndong failed to report to the club's training ground as expected, resulting in the club withholding the player's wages.^[18] Ndong remained absent from the club for the remainder of pre-season and the early matches of the 2018–19 season. Sunderland fans' feelings toward the club's record signing became increasingly hostile, made worse when Ndong appeared to post an image on Instagram of him sitting poolside at a holiday resort.^[19]

A similar situation was unfolding with teammate Papy Djilobodji who had also failed to return to training while trying to engineer a move away from Sunderland. When Djilobodji did eventually return to the club, he was almost immediately sacked for alleged breach of contract. Djilobodji had reached an agreement with the club to remain absent during July (with a proviso that he keep himself fit), but he returned for training late and failed a series of fitness tests.^[20] The parallels with the Ndong situation were noted at the time of Djilobodji's sacking, with public comments from Stewart Donald suggesting that the players were "deliberately devaluing themselves" in order to engineer cheaper moves away from the club. Donald hinted that legal proceedings could follow.^[21]

After the Djilobodji sacking, attention turned to Ndong, who was still absent from the club. Reports in Gabon suggested Ndong feared the repercussions of a return to North East England, including possible arrest (the grounds on which he feared he would be arrested were not made clear).^[22] Ndong's representatives suggested the player was considering commissioning a negotiator to represent him in discussions with the club. On 21 September, Ndong reportedly issued a statement via representatives that he had been spending time in Morocco, but wished to return to Sunderland to fight for his place in the team. He offered to take a pay cut.^[23] Ndong returned to the club on 24 September and, following a brief meeting with the club management, was served notice for breach of contract.

A statement from Sunderland, released on the club's official website stated:^[24]

Sunderland AFC has given notice under its contract with Didier Ndong. The player, who was under contract with the club until June 2021, failed to return to Sunderland for pre-season training in July as scheduled, nor in the subsequent months that followed. No reason was given for his failure to report and continued absence. As a result, the club has accepted Didier Ndong's repudiatory breaches of contract and notice of the same has been provided to the player. Sunderland AFC does so whilst retaining the right to pursue the player and any club he may subsequently join in relation to compensation for the value of the player.

Following his sacking, Ndong had to leave the United Kingdom due to his residence permit expiring. He returned to Gabon and began training with an unnamed club in Libreville in October 2018, amid reports of personal financial difficulties.^[25] On 11 October 2018, Sunderland released a statement on their website indicating that an amicable agreement had been reached and Ndong was no longer an employee of the club. The statement indicated that Sunderland would receive compensation when Ndong signed for a new club.^[26]

Loan to Yeni Malatyaspor

On 26 August 2021, he joined Turkish club Yeni Malatyaspor on a season-long loan.^[29] On 10 March 2022, he loan was terminated early by mutual consent.^[30]