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England international Jermain Defoe could leave Sunderland for nothing this summer if the club do not retain their Premier League status.
Sources on Wearside have confirmed to Press Association Sport the existence of a clause in the contract extension the 34-year-old striker signed last June which would allow him to depart for no fee in the event of relegation.
The chances of Defoe, whose current deal runs until 2019, remaining at the Stadium of Light should the club drop into the Sky Bet Championship are remote anyway.