Sunderland are interested in making a transfer deadline day swoop for Liverpool defender Sebastian Coates, but haven’t given up hope of signing Fabio Borini permanently, according to Sky Sports News.
Uruguayan international Coates has been out of favour at Liverpool since Brendan Rodgers came to the club in 2012 and injury hampered him leaving in the January transfer window.
The 23-year-old has made just 24 appearances for the Reds’ first team since signing from Nacional in August 2011. Now it seems fellow Uruguayan Gus Poyet to keen to take Coates to the Stadium of Light.
The Daily Mail suggest Coates’ move to Sunderland will be done on a loan deal. Joe Bernstein writes:
Sunderland have sorted out terms for the 23-year-old central defender who faced England at last summer’s World Cup and the move is to be confirmed officially on deadline day.
However, Sky Sports News report that the Black Cats are still interested in signing Borini, having agreed a £14 million fee for the Italian forward last month.
Can't Coates and Borini car share?
— Simon Pugsley (@SiPugs) September 1, 2014
It is understood that Borini is keen to stay on Merseyside and fight for his place following his season-long loan spell in the North East, but the signings of Rickie Lambert and Mario Balotelli this summer have put Borini further back in the pecking order at Anfield.
Sky Sports report that Sunderland won’t stretch to sign both Coates and Borini — it is simply one or the other.
Do Liverpool need to keep either Coates or Borini? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below, or on Twitter using the hashtag #TIAdeadlineday.
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