Sunderland have offered to rip up the contract of £10million midfielder Jack Rodwell.
The 26-year-old still has 18 months to run on the £70,000-per-week deal he signed when he joined from Manchester City in 2014.
But the Black Cats are desperate to offload Rodwell and, after the former England international asked to leave the club this month, they told him he was free to go, although there would be no pay-off.
That would mean Rodwell forgoing around £5m in wages and it is unlikely he will agree to leave without some form of financial settlement.