Sunderland signed Jack Rodwell from Manchester City for £10m in 2014

The 26-year-old still has 18 months left to run on his £70,000-a-week deal

However the Black Cats want to tear up his contract and let him leave on a free

Sunderland have offered to rip up the contract of £10million midfielder Jack Rodwell.

The 26-year-old still has 18 months to run on the £70,000-per-week deal he signed when he joined from Manchester City in 2014.

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But the Black Cats are desperate to offload Rodwell and, after the former England international asked to leave the club this month, they told him he was free to go, although there would be no pay-off.

Jack Rodwell has been told he is free to leave Sunderland after failing to impress

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RODWELL'S CAREER 2007–2012: Everton 2012–2014: Manchester City 2014– : Sunderland

That would mean Rodwell forgoing around £5m in wages and it is unlikely he will agree to leave without some form of financial settlement.

Sunderland, though, cannot afford to do that and there remains a chance that Rodwell will continue to pick up his sizeable salary while not featuring for Chris Coleman's first-team.

There was no relegation clause in Rodwell's contract and he was the only player who did not take a pay cut following last season's demotion.

Likewise, were they to drop out of the Championship this year - they are currently bottom - he would be picking up £70,000 per week in League One.

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The former Manchester City midfielder is all smiles on his arrival at Sunderland back in 2014

Rodwell's time at the club has been a disaster and only once has he started a league game which Sunderland have won.

Coleman has not used Rodwell since his appointment in November and it is thought within the club that he is not doing enough to make himself available for selection.

This latest development marks a fall from grace for a player once tipped as a future England captain when he broke into Everton's team at just 16.

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But Rodwell has been plagued by injuries and has started just 51 league games since leaving Everton for Manchester City nearly six years ago.

Rodwell also failed to make the grade at Manchester City after moving from Everton