Sunderland now face a compensation battle to sign one of their key summer transfer targets.
Sunderland are pushing ahead with their summer transfer plans, despite having no manager in place.
But most of the talk is about players potentially leaving the Stadium of Light; Jack Clarke and Dan Neil are both fancied by Southampton following the Saints’ promotion to the Premier League.
Elsewhere, names like Jobe Bellingham and Anthony Patterson have been in transfer headlines of late, potentially leaving Kyril Louis-Dreyfus and Kristjaan Speakman with some big player calls to make this summer.
One player who Speakman wants to bring to Wearside is Divin Mubama; earlier in May, it was claimed that Sunderland were leading the race to sign the 19-year-old on a free transfer this summer.
Mubama, a product of the West Ham academy, is out of contract this summer, having rejected the opportunity to stay with the Hammers beyond the the 2023/24 campaign.
Divin Mubama to Sunderland latest
Now, it’s been revealed that ‘West Ham are likely to go to tribunal to set a compensation fee’ for Mubama this summer.
Popular X account and writer for Claret & Hugh @westhamfootball has revealed the news on Mubama, also reaffirming Sunderland’s interest.
@westhamfootball adds: “Where a professional player, under the age of 24, has been offered a new contract by his club (subject to certain requirements that the offer must meet set out in Rule 64.3 of the Football League Rules) and he rejects that offer in order to take up the opportunity to sign for another club, compensation will be payable.
“In some cases, clubs will reach mutual agreement on a compensation fee.”
Why Sunderland may not be worried about West Ham compensation
For Sunderland, this latest obstacle is just that; an obstacle. And the longer that it draws out, the more chance there is of another team rushing in and paying West Ham whatever they want in compensation for Mubama.
And with Sunderland still needing to hire a new manager and not looking likely to break the bank for anyone or anything this summer, the thought of Sunderland finalising compensation for Mubama sooner rather than later seems hopeful.
But the Black Cats have prior relations with West Ham; they signed Pierre Ekwah from the Hammers in January 2023.
What’s more is that West Ham are one of the teams being quite closely linked with Clarke ahead of the summer transfer window opening on June 14th.
So there may be some give and take between Sunderland and West Ham where Mubama is concerned.
He’s clearly someone who Speakman likes and Sunderland are desperate for strikers, and always keen to add more youth to their ranks.