On the collapse of a proposed £6 million move to Inter Milan, Fabio Borini has been offered the chance to return to Sunderland this summer.
Sunderland have agreed an initial fee of £8 million to sign Liverpool striker Fabio Borini ahead of the close of the summer transfer window.
That is according to widespread reports on Sunday evening.
Paul Joyce of the Express writes that “Borini is set to move to the Stadium of Light for an initial £8m after seeing a proposed switch to Inter Milan collapse.”
Previous reports suggested that Inter had lodged a £6 million bid to sign the 24-year-old, but according to Joyce, Sunderland are now Borini’s most likely destination.
“Premier League new boys Watford were also interested in Borini, 24, but he seems destined to return to the North-East.
“Borini has said his goodbyes to his Liverpool team-mates and had been expected to return to Italy with Inter.
“But that move was called off and Sunderland are now in pole position to land Borini, who had been made to train on his own by manager Brendan Rodgers.
“They would pay an additional £2m depending on the player’s progress.”
These reports are corroborated by the Times‘ Tony Barrett, who suggests that the deal has been agreed between the two clubs:
Sunderland look set to sign Fabio Borini after agreeing a fee (£8m plus £2m in add ons) for the forward.
— Tony Barrett (@TonyBarrett) August 30, 2015
Borini scored seven goals and made two assists in 32 Premier League games on loan with the Black Cats in 2013/14.
He rejected a permanent move to the Stadium of Light club last summer, but having played just 394 minutes of league football for the Reds in 2014/15, his stance may have changed.
Borini would join up with former Liverpool centre-back Sebastian Coates, who made his previous loan move permanent this summer.
The first signing of Brendan Rodgers’ Liverpool tenure, Borini quickly fell out of favour under the Ulsterman.
Despite a paucity of attacking options last season, Borini’s lack of game time—and the promotion of an out-of-position Raheem Sterling to a leading centre-forward’s role—signalled the end for the former AS Roma striker on Merseyside.
Borini is a talented, mid-level forward, and Sunderland manager Dick Advocaat will be hoping he can link up with the experience Jermain Defoe to drag his side out of another relegation battle.
For Liverpool, a deal worth up to £10 million would represent phenomenal business.
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