Goalkeeper Remi Matthews will be given a new contract and pay rise if Sunderland win promotion this season, a report from a print edition of The Sun (02/05, p61) has claimed.

The Blacks Cats secured their place in the League One play-offs for this season with a 3-1 win over Plymouth on Saturday afternoon, courtesy of goals from Ross Stewart, Denver Hume and Chris Maguire.

Matthews was once again on the bench for the Black Cats, with Lee Burge retaining the number one spot between the posts for Lee Johnson's side.

Now though, it seems as though Matthews himself, could be handed something of a boost if the club are victorious in the play-offs over the next few weeks.

According to this latest update, a return to the Championship for Sunderland will trigger a clause in Matthews' contract that will keep him at the Stadium of Light for next season, while earning him a pay rise in the process.

It is thought that the 27-year-old took a considerable pay cut to join Sunderland at the start of this season, when he signed an initial one-year deal with the club following his departure from Bolton.

Since joining the Black Cats, Matthews has made 11 appearances in all competitions for the club, including six league outings this season.

The Verdict

This does seem like a bit of an odd situation to be in for Sunderland.

Matthews has never really established himself between the posts for the club since joining, with Lee Burge claiming the number one spot.

As a result, you wonder whether Sunderland would be inclined to let Matthews go if they had the choice this summer, something it seems may not be the case if they win promotion.

Even so, you still feel the Black Cats will be desperate to get back to the Championship for next season, after several years of near misses in the battle for League One promotion.