Sunderland received only €1.5m from Bordeaux for the service of Josh Maja when they allowed the striker to leave the Stadium of Light last January.  

Maja had been in electric form for Sunderland at the start of the 2018/19 campaign, spearheading the club’s push for an automatic return to the Sky Bet Championship.

In 24 League One appearances, the 21-year-old struck 15 goals and was comfortably Sunderland’s most prolific player in-front of goal.

Yet, murky water surrounding the contract of Maja eventually led to his exit in the January transfer window.

Bordeaux was the youngster’s destination, with it reported by outlets including Sky Sports that they could end up paying towards £3.5m for the striker.

However, a recent report in the Chronicle has revealed that it is a fraction of that figure that’s actually been received at €1.5m.

Stewart Donald claimed that it ‘is not a great deal, but it's the best we could get’, on the Sunderland ‘Til I Die 2 documentary.

Since linking up with Bordeaux, Maja has scored nine goals in all competitions, whilst Sunderland remain a League One outfit after missing out on promotion in the play-off final last season.

Quiz: Are these 18 Sunderland facts true or false?

The Verdict  

€1.5m for Maja is peanuts really, when you consider the goals and impact he was having on the side at the time.

Right now, with Sunderland still struggling in League One, you’ve got to say that retaining him might’ve been the best idea, as he could’ve made the difference in the promotion race.

If Sunderland were playing Championship football once more, losing Maja for nothing more than compensation might’ve been worth it, contrasting what Donald had to say.

Thoughts? Let us know!