Sunderland: Chris Coleman return not ruled out by new owner Stewart Donald

Chris Coleman left Sunderland on the same day former owner Ellis Short agreed to sell the club

New Sunderland owner Stewart Donald has not ruled out former manager Chris Coleman returning to the club.

Former Wales boss Coleman left the Black Cats in April as Ellis Short put the club up for sale and agreed to clear its debts following relegation.

Donald stressed the decision to let Coleman leave was Short's and not his.

"I wouldn't rule out potentially talking to Chris," former Eastleigh chairman Donald told reporters as he was unveiled as Sunderland's new owner.

Donald hopes to make a managerial appointment in the next week after his £40m takeover of Sunderland was approved by the EFL on Sunday.

"It wasn't us (who sacked Coleman)," he told the Newcastle Chronicle.

"What Ellis Short has done through this whole process is he has tidied up the business as best he can to reduce the liabilities moving forward.

"He's decided Chris is one of those, and that is up to him.

"That's absolutely nothing to do with us, and we wouldn't necessarily exclude Chris from the process of arranging a new manager."