Lamine Kone is closing in on a return to Sunderland after his loan spell at Strasbourg seems to have ended without them offering him a deal.

Kone is a relic of the past at the Stadium of Light, as much a part of the decline as the likes of Ndong and Papy Djilobodji. Whilst some of those players, Bryan Oviedo and Lee Cattermole, have adjusted to League One, others left the club hoping for a fresh start.

Despite a full season in Ligue 1, Kone has not convinced Strasbourg to take a punt on his services and he now faces the prospect of a return to the club that clearly doesn’t want him.

Stewart Donald has already said as much, being reported by the Chronicle Live as telling the Roker Rapport podcast: "The club he's at have got an option which they can exercise if they want to keep him for a fee, we believe that is likely.

"If that doesn't happen based on what we're being told and how we feel, I think he'll find another club, I'd be amazed if you see Lamine back here in a Sunderland shirt.”

However, it now seems highly likely he’ll be back in their training kit at least, with a Chronicle Live report suggesting that Strasbourg cannot afford the player’s wages, whether they want him back or not.

It’s a delicate situation that leaves both players and club at an impasse. Kone wouldn’t want to return to a club who won’t use him, Sunderland won’t want the wages on their budget, especially not if they don’t go up.

Can Kone come back and make an impression? He’s a decent player and as Donald admitted, he’s never had a problem with his application, nor his attitude. This is a hugely different case to those of Didier Ndong and Papy Djilobodji.

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The issue is the player’s state of mind. He clearly set his heart on a return to France, but as that hasn’t panned out will he come back with the same good attitude and application? Or will he be looking to force a move by lowering his wage demands?

It will be a tough moment if he does have to walk back through the doors of the training ground and he’ll show extreme character is he does serve the club diligently upon his return.