FABIO BORINI is desperate to have a clear run of games at Sunderland after being plagued by freak injuries during the last two years.
The on-loan Liverpool frontman went under the knife THREE times last season following his £10.5million move from Roma â once on his left shoulder and twice on a broken bone in his foot, which failed to heal after the first operation.
Borini suffered similar misfortune at Roma, where a promising return of nine goals in 20 Serie A starts was interrupted by two months on the sidelines due to surgery on his right shoulder.
After a five-month stint on the treatment table limited him to just five Premier League starts last season, the 22-year-old is desperate to prove himself with a sustained run of games for Sunderland after joining the Black Cats on loan.
Borini told the Echo: âMy first thought is to have a clear season with nothing major happening.
âIâve always proved myself in the short-term â Swansea was a three-month loan (where he scored six in eight Championship starts) and then it was three months at Roma before injuries.
âI would like at least six or seven months without getting injured, which would mean all season.
âLast season was tough, mostly because of the injuries, not the move.
âBig-money moves happen in football. So do injuries, but they take you down, especially when all you want is to do well for a new team.
âBasically, your body pulls you out.
âI wanted to prove myself at Liverpool last season and I couldnât really do it. Iâve come here to do that now.
âI always seem to have had injuries which are not the usual ones.
âLast season was basically the bone in your foot that you never use, but itâs very painful when you break it.
âYou canât really do much either because itâs in the middle of your foot. When you walk, itâs the only one that makes the other bones move.â
Borini insists the prospect of leaving Anfield on loan wasnât broached by Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers until the final week of the transfer window.
But the Italian international admits he sensed it could be a possibility after being pushed down the pecking order on Merseyside.
âI didnât know I would be able to go on loan, but obviously I was thinking about it,â said the former Chelsea youngster.
âObviously with the players at Liverpool â (Luis) Suarez and (Daniel) Sturridge â I felt I needed games.
âYou never know what is going to happen in the transfer window so at the end, I had a chat with Brendan and it seemed I wasnât going to be in his plans this year.â
Borini is expected to make his Sunderland debut in Saturdayâs visit of Arsenal and says a hamstring niggle in training is unlikely to scupper his hopes of playing a part for the Black Cats.
âIâm fully fit now... kind of!â he added.
âI had a bit of a problem this week with a hamstring, but itâs nothing serious. Itâs just adapting to a different kind of work in training.
âMy body needs to adapt thatâs all.
âAt Liverpool, we managed to play games during the week behind closed doors too, so the players who didnât play as much were helped in their fitness.â
I think Fletch & Altidore will be infront of him?
The on-loan Liverpool frontman went under the knife THREE times last season following his £10.5million move from Roma â once on his left shoulder and twice on a broken bone in his foot, which failed to heal after the first operation.
Borini suffered similar misfortune at Roma, where a promising return of nine goals in 20 Serie A starts was interrupted by two months on the sidelines due to surgery on his right shoulder.
After a five-month stint on the treatment table limited him to just five Premier League starts last season, the 22-year-old is desperate to prove himself with a sustained run of games for Sunderland after joining the Black Cats on loan.
Borini told the Echo: âMy first thought is to have a clear season with nothing major happening.
âIâve always proved myself in the short-term â Swansea was a three-month loan (where he scored six in eight Championship starts) and then it was three months at Roma before injuries.
âI would like at least six or seven months without getting injured, which would mean all season.
âLast season was tough, mostly because of the injuries, not the move.
âBig-money moves happen in football. So do injuries, but they take you down, especially when all you want is to do well for a new team.
âBasically, your body pulls you out.
âI wanted to prove myself at Liverpool last season and I couldnât really do it. Iâve come here to do that now.
âI always seem to have had injuries which are not the usual ones.
âLast season was basically the bone in your foot that you never use, but itâs very painful when you break it.
âYou canât really do much either because itâs in the middle of your foot. When you walk, itâs the only one that makes the other bones move.â
Borini insists the prospect of leaving Anfield on loan wasnât broached by Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers until the final week of the transfer window.
But the Italian international admits he sensed it could be a possibility after being pushed down the pecking order on Merseyside.
âI didnât know I would be able to go on loan, but obviously I was thinking about it,â said the former Chelsea youngster.
âObviously with the players at Liverpool â (Luis) Suarez and (Daniel) Sturridge â I felt I needed games.
âYou never know what is going to happen in the transfer window so at the end, I had a chat with Brendan and it seemed I wasnât going to be in his plans this year.â
Borini is expected to make his Sunderland debut in Saturdayâs visit of Arsenal and says a hamstring niggle in training is unlikely to scupper his hopes of playing a part for the Black Cats.
âIâm fully fit now... kind of!â he added.
âI had a bit of a problem this week with a hamstring, but itâs nothing serious. Itâs just adapting to a different kind of work in training.
âMy body needs to adapt thatâs all.
âAt Liverpool, we managed to play games during the week behind closed doors too, so the players who didnât play as much were helped in their fitness.â
I think Fletch & Altidore will be infront of him?
