Sunderland manager Gus Poyet wants Connor Wickham to commit to the club soon.
The talented 21-year old striker is under contract until next summer but Poyet is eager for him to extend with the Black Cats so they can avoid losing him for free at the end of the upcoming season.
"For me, Connor's situation is clear, he needs to sign a new contract or we let him go - we sell him," Poyet told the Sunderland Echo.
"There is nothing in between. He is an asset to the football club and we paid a lot of money for him.
"Last year, he was a key part of us staying up and he was very important but he needs to realise that the club needs to look after the interests of the football club as well.
"I suppose that, one way or the other, we are going to have an agreement.
"Which one of those (two outcomes) is going to happen, I don't know - it is not my job, that is (sporting director) Lee Congerton's department."
Wickham, who joined Sunderland from Ipswich Town in 2011, scored five goals in three matches in April last season to take his Black Cats tally to nine from 51 matches in all competitions.
Since his arrival at the Stadium of Light, the England U21 international has spent time on loan with Sheffield Wednesday and Leeds United.
