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Following a summer that has seen him linked to West Ham and Fiorentina and Lazio amongst others, 24-year-old Fabio Borini appears set to finally be on the move, only rather than moving on, he’s moving back. Moving back to Sunderland to join the club he spent a successful season on loan at in 2013-14 and providing the Black Cats some desperately needed reinforcement.
It will also, in a piece of good news for both clubs and one imagines the player, be a permanent move. At least barring any unforeseen complications—which, when it comes to Borini and potential transfer moves, can tend to seem inevitable sometimes. Still, widespread reports have the striker travelling to Sunderland today to undergo a medical, suggesting that personal terms are likely to have been agreed.
In the past, Borini’s contract demands have derailed numerous deals. This summer, it was widely reported to have derailed the West Ham move, just as last summer they blocked moves to QPR and Sunderland. With the player sent to train on his own, though, and it clear he would not be getting minutes at Liverpool this season, it appears Botini is finally ready to move on and will sign with Sunderland.
The move will see Liverpool miss out on a few million pounds—and Borini too in all likelihood. Last summer, Sunderland offered a base £10M rising to £12M with add-ons for the Italian striker. This time around, it’s £8M rising to £10M with all add-ons. It’s still a far higher fee than Liverpool likely would have hoped for, though, so it’s hard for the club to complain too much now that a move is getting done.
There is as yet no word on what Borini’s wages will be at his new club, but it is expected Sunderland will have offered him more this time around than last. The Black Cats have struggled massively to start the season, losing to Leicester City and Norwich in their opening two games before drawing Swansea and Aston Villa. Many are again pegging them for a relegation battle.
