SVEN-GORAN Eriksson will slash his wage demands if Sunderland dispense with the services of Ricky Sbragia this summer.

Eriksson, who was sacked from his previous position as manager of Mexico last week, is desperate to return to the Premier League, and has identified Sunderland and Portsmouth as the two clubs likeliest to offer him a route back in to English football.

The former England boss was considered as a possible successor to Roy Keane last December, only for his exorbitant wages to have forced Black Cats chairman Niall Quinn to look elsewhere.

Eriksson was earning around £2m-a-year from the Mexican Football Association, and while Quinn is understood to have been keen to talk to the Swede, his refusal to pay anything like that figure led to the appointment of Ricky Sbragia on an 18-month deal.

Sbragia’s position will be reviewed this summer, and with Sunderland having slipped to within a place of the relegation zone with seven games to play, there is every chance of the Scotsman being relieved of his position at the end of the season.

Quinn has hinted that a protracted battle against the drop may result in Sbragia’s removal, and with Manchester United due to visit the Stadium of Light on Saturday, it is unlikely that Sunderland will be breathing too easily on the final weekend of the campaign.

“I don’t think you are ever secure as a manager, no matter what support you’ve got,”

admitted Sbragia, in the wake of last weekend’s 2-0 defeat at West Ham.

“I knew when I took the job on what was expected - I have to keep the club up, it’s as simple as that.

“If I don’t achieve that, I don’t know what’s going to happen.

“I don’t think any manager in my position, in charge of a club down there at the wrong end of the table, is safe. That’s just part of football.”

If the Black Cats opt to appoint a new boss this summer, Eriksson will be one of a number of overseas managers considered for the post alongside leading British contenders such as Celtic boss Gordon Strachan.

Eriksson has told a number of his associates that he will not be interested in a Championship position if Sunderland fail to avoid the drop this season.

But if the Black Cats are still a top-flight club at the end of May, the ex-Manchester City manager will be interested in a move to the Stadium of Light.

And, crucially, he has indicated a willingness to drop his wage demands in order to secure a return to English football after a ten-month absence.

Buoyed by a pay out of around £2m from the Mexican FA, Eriksson is likely to accept around £1m-a-year if it enables him to reclaim a post in the Premier League.

“I personally never wanted him to take the Mexico job,”

said Eriksson’s agent, Athole Still. “But I would think there would be plenty of offers for him and he would love to work in England again. I know that for a fact.

“I would say yes, his first choice would be a good Premier League club in England where he has a challenge.

That would be his choice, I’m quite sure.”

Portsmouth made contact with Eriksson after sacking Tony Adams in February, and while Pompey chairman Alexander Gaydamak eventually decided to appoint Paul Hart on a short-term basis, the Fratton Park club could also make a renewed attempt to sign the Swede if they remain in the Premier League this season.

Meanwhile, a Sunderland scout was in Poland last weekend running the rule over highly-rated goalkeeper Sebastian Przyrowski.

The 27-year-old full international kept a clean sheet as Polonia Warsaw beat Polonia Bytom 1-0 and had an unsuccessful trial at Tottenham earlier this season.

■ The Football Association are still waiting for confirmation that their World Cup qualifier against Ukraine on October 10 will be played in Dnipropetrovsk.

Kiev has been ruled out as the major stadium in the capital is undergoing reconstruction ahead of Euro 2012, which Ukraine is supposed to be co-hosting with Poland.

It had been thought Kharkiv, home to the Metalist club, would be chosen for the game, England’s penultimate in Group Six. However, Ukrainian Football Federation president Grigory Surkis has instead suggested the 31,000-capacity Dnipro Arena will host the game.