This is Sunderland's stance on the 'game-changing' salary caps heading for League One

CEO Jim Rodwell has also insisted that any change to the regulations must also include a transitional period that would give clubs the necessary time to adapt and prepare.

EFL Chairman Rick Parry hinted at major changes to football’s financial landscape in an appearance before the DCMS parliamentary committee earlier this month, criticising the excessive spending on player wages across the divisions.

Parry estimated that Championship clubs are spending 106% of their turnover on wages, with the figure in League One believed to be around 80%.

Parry also stated that he was in favour of limiting squad sizes, with academy products likely to then be exempt from that.

Salford City co-owner and Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville said on Friday morning that he expects the caps to be a ‘game-changer’ for players, and that there is already widespread support for their introduction in third and fourth tier.

Like Sunderland, his club oppose a flat cap, reportedly set to be around £2.5 million in League One and £1.25 million for League Two.

Currently, League One and League Two clubs are limited to spending 60% of their turnover on wages, but owners are allowed to get around this by injecting funds as equity or donations.

Regulations in the Championship are different, with no restrictions on spending but a limit on losses allowed over a three-year period.

The enforcement or otherwise of both has proved hugely controversial.

Rodwell says that the goal of any changes must be about ‘sustainability’, not creating a level-playing field.

Essentially, Sunderland believe that they should not be prevented from utilising the power of their fanbase, who can help power a turnover in excess of their rivals.

“Sunderland absolutely agree that clubs should become more sustainable, but that doesn't mean a hard and fast wage cap,” Rodwell said.

“Sustainability is not about creating a level-playing field, it's about living within your means.

“If that means one club is larger than another, so be it.

“That's what sustainability means.

“Whatever happened, there would have to be transitional arrangements,” Rodwell added.

“Transitional arrangements for when they first come in, transitional arrangements for clubs being relegated from the Championship.

“If it was suddenly dropped on us, then it would be impossible to be perfectly honest.

“There would be transitional arrangements.”

It is not yet clear when the caps will be imposed, with Burton Albion chairman Ben Robinson suggesting earlier this week that it could be the 2021/22 season before they are in force.

Rodwell says discussions are ongoing, but a vote or decision is far from imminent.

“It's an ongoing workstream across all three divisions to make clubs more sustainable,” he said.

“I think everybody accepts that clubs in their current form aren't sustainable.

“The losses incurred particularly in the Championship are absolutely astronomical and we need to do something about that.

“We need to make clubs more sustainable, absolutely.

“At the moment, that's a workstream for the EFL, but we're nowhere near a position that we're going to vote on or anything like that.”