David Moyes has told unsettled defender Lamine Kone he will not be joining Everton because Sunderland cannot attract players good enough to replace him as problems continue to mount for the new boss.
Goalkeeper Vito Mannone suffered a suspected fractured elbow in training yesterday and is set to join Lee Cattermole, Jan Kirchhoff, Seb Larsson, Fabio Borini and John O'Shea on the list of senior players currently sidelined.
However, coupled with Sunderland's injury crisis is their struggle to compete with their Premier League rivals in the transfer market, a reality Moyes accepts.
That is why he has taken the decision to reject Everton's £14million offer for Kone, who withdrew from the squad ahead of Sunday's 2-1 defeat at home to Middlesbrough after saying he had a back problem, an injury Moyes cast doubt upon.