Get the latest SAFC transfer news straight to your inbox by signing up to our FREE newsletter Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Sunderland sources have denied rumours that owner Ellis Short is looking for a way out of the club.

A weekend report claimed the Texan wanted to sell the club irrespective of what division the Black Cats are playing in next season, but this has been privately denied.

Short bought a controlling interest in Sunderland when the Drumavile consortium was hit by the worldwide recession in September 2008, and took full ownership the following May. Two years later he replaced Niall Quinn as chairman.

Like many, Short bought into football hoping to bring shrewd economic management to bear – he is one of the Premier League’s leading supporters of financial fair play – but has presided over a series of short-term appointments.

Six full-time managers or head coaches have resigned since he took control of the club, and Dick Advocaat resigned in October, frustrated at the director of football system Short had enthusiastically put in place, but abandoned to attract Sam Allardyce as his replacement. Roberto Di Fanti and Lee Congerton both filled that role, which was designed to cut transfer market wastage, but instead saw the squad cluttered with players the coach and his successors did not value.

With the exception of one season under Steve Bruce when the Black Cats finished in the top half of the table, every other season has involved a wearying, though ultimately successful fight against relegation.

Short is thought to have invested at least £200m in the club, but they will lose more than half of that in lost television revenue alone should they drop out of the top light.

Sunderland are currently in the relegation zone, two points behind Norwich City with a game in hand on the Canaries. The sides meet at Carrow Road on April 16.

Despite all this, The Journal understands Short – who hardly ever gives interviews – has no plans to sell.

Meanwhile, defender Lamine Kone admits Sunderland ought to have performed better since strengthening their squad in January.

Centre-back Kone, winger Wahbi Khazri and holding midfielder Jan Kirchhoff have all improved the side since joining during the mid-season transfer window.

However, the Black Cats have only seven points from as many games to show for it, snatching draws from the jaws of victory late on in their last two matches, against Southampton and Newcastle United.

“Myself and Wahbi have come in and offered something extra to the team, him in attack and me in defence, and with the other players and their quality in the team we have to go and do better,” Kone, who is on Wearside after pulling out of Ivory Coasts’ African Cup of Nations qualifiers through injury, told the club’s official website.

The presence of Khazri, a rival in the first half of the season, has helped Kone to adapt to life in England.

“I’m settling in very, very well,” said French-speaking Kone, who completed a protracted move from Lorient, while Khazri came from Bordeaux. “There were a few French players here when I arrived which has really helped me so I feel very good here, and my family are very happy here too which is a bonus.

“I think if you look at recent months we did pretty good and there were a lot of positives in the performances.”