How Ellis Short is providing Sunderland with financial support after Ricky Alvarez twist

The Argentinian winger, whom Sunderland were ordered to shell out almost £10m for in 2017 following a two-year court battle, is continuing to cause the club's new regime some headaches.

Alvarez's case was one of many legal wrangles inherited by the new ownership and the one, according to Donald, that they did not budget for.

And despite having reached a settlement with the 30-year-old, the Sunderland chief has now revealed that the ex-Sampdoria man is challenging that deal in a bid to try and secure some additional funds.

That potential blow, however, is being softened by a perhaps surprising source.

Donald has revealed that former owner Ellis Short has stumped up half the cash required to settle the Alvarez case as Sunderland look to finalise the case once and for all.

And that gesture - coupled with the finalisation of other court cases - leaves the new owner feeling that the club are in a 'very good' financial situation compared to twelve months ago.

"We won all the ones we created so that's not cost us anything," he said, when asked about the club's court cases on the Roker Rapport Podcast."The only one that is bad news at this stage is Alvarez.

"I think he's appealed the settlement to ask for more, so that would be some extra money is we lose that.

"So that's bad news, but Ellis is contributing half of that so it's only half as bad as it could be.

"That was one that we didn't budget to lose because of the advice we were given.

"But that has been offset by over performance in getting the general state of the football club in a much healthier position.

"So we are, touch wood, in a very good financial shape from where we were.