Sunderland are reluctant to make Ricky Alvarez's loan a permanent transfer from Inter Milan.

It's been claimed Sunderland must cough up €10.5 million as part of the original deal if they avoided relegation.

Alvarez has spent the season on-loan at the Black Cats, but struggled to make an impact.

Inter are insisting Sunderland cough up, but the Premier League club are disputing the clause.

For the moment, Alvarez is in limbo and the case could eventually end up with FIFA to rule upon.