Rumor Mongering: Sunderland Trying for Coates Loan

Sunderland have been linked with Liverpool all summer long as they try and try and try to re-acquire Fabio Borini. Apparently, however, the Italian striker isn't the only recently outcast Liverpool player they want to get their hands on.

The Wearside club have a pronounced need in central defense at the moment, and to help fill that they're trying to sign Sebastian Coates on loan. The Uruguyan international spent the last year rehabbing a knee injury, and spent much of that time on loan with Nacional in his home country in order to recover in more comfortable surroundings and get some minutes once he was able to take the pitch again. He's currently looking like he's fifth choice at best for Liverpool in central defense, meaning it'd be best if he were to go on loan to get playing time and regain both form and value.

By the sound of things, a deal is quite close, with the two clubs just needing to come to terms on a loan fee in order to free Coates to head to Sunderland for a medical. Should he sign, Coates would likely see the field frequently under Gus Poyet, as neither John O'Shea or Wes Brown have been particularly convincing in about a year now. Valentin Roberge has been a good signing for the Black Cats, but he's only one man and he needs help.

Should this go though, it'd probably be more or less a best-case scenario for Coates, but it's also not hard to see him coming in handy with Liverpool this season, even if it'd be worse for his development as a quality player. But when it comes to a guy sitting fifth on the depth chart, well, it's hard to get too worked up about him getting loaned away.

Best of luck, Seba.