Sunderland have reportedly demanded extra compensation from the Football Association over their pursuit of manager Sam Allardyce.
Allardyce is expected to be confirmed as the new England boss by the end of this week, and Sunderland have made no secret of their desire for the situation to be resolved quickly.
The Telegraph reports that Allardyce's Sunderland contract is worth £2m, but that the Black Cats want a larger sum due to the disruption the speculation has caused the club in the build-up to the new Premier League season.
The report goes on to state that Sunderland's demands have stalled the appointment even further, although official confirmation is expected within the next 24 hours.
The Black Cats have already turned their attentions to David Moyes as a possible successor to Allardyce, with the Scot set for his first job in English football since being sacked by Manchester United.