Sunderland face a race against the clock to beat this salary cap loophole deadline - as further transfer deals eyed

Third tier clubs are gearing-up for fresh financial measures as of next season, with a £2.5million wage cap set to be introduced. In addition to this, teams will also be subject to a squad cap of 22 players.

A vote is scheduled to take place on August 6 to decide whether the new measures will be introduced, and they are expected to gain the backing of the two thirds of clubs necessary for their implementation.

The salary cap has been strongly opposed by a host of clubs – including Sunderland and Portsmouth – who are able to spend well above this ceiling while still remaining sustainable.

And the introduction of the cap led to fears that the Black Cats may miss out on some of their top targets this summer.

But a loophole in the system could well work in Sunderland’s favour when it comes to attracting signings – although its deadline is rapidly approaching.

As a transitional measure, players already on the books of League One clubs would count at a maximum of £1,750 per week towards the salary cap – the divisional average wage.

It was initially suggested that any player who signed a contract before June 30 would be the subject to this wage reduction, but this window has now been extended until August 6.

That means that should Sunderland clinch a deal for a player before August 6, their full salary will not count towards the wage cap until the 2021/22 season.

This could aid the Black Cats if they are looking to bring in players whose wages are likely to exceed the divisional average – with Phil Parkinson having secured two big-name signings already this summer.

And if more are to arrive, Sunderland could do well to ensure they are signed, sealed and delivered before the vote is conducted on Thursday.

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