Sunderland targeting loan forwards after all but admitting defeat over Borini

SUNDERLAND are targeting two high-profile loan additions after accepting that Fabio Borini is extremely unlikely to agree to a return to the Stadium of Light this month.

Black Cats head coach Gus Poyet has effectively given Borini and his representatives a deadline of tonight to decide on the striker’s future, but as of yesterday, there had still not been any indication that the Italian is willing to complete a proposed £14m move from Liverpool.

Sunderland’s offer will effectively remain on the table until the closure of the transfer window on September 1, and it remains possible that Borini could rejoin on another loan, but with Saturday’s 2-2 draw with West Brom having underlined the lack of attacking options currently available, there is a consensus among the club’s hierarchy that alternative options must now be pursued.

While last month’s £14m offer to Liverpool underlines that funds are available, both Poyet and sporting director Lee Congerton are reluctant to spend that kind of money at such a late stage of the transfer window on a player or players who they have not extensively scouted in the last few weeks.

Therefore, while both figures are determined to add to Sunderland’s attacking ranks in the next fortnight, the signings are likely to be long-term loan deals, with a view to a signing next summer, rather than permanent deals for a large upfront fee.

Ideally, Poyet would like to recruit an out-and-out striker, enabling him to offload Danny Graham, who was an unused substitute at the Hawthorns, and a forward who can also play in a wide position, negating the need for Connor Wickham to fill the kind of wide role he found himself in on Saturday.

The Uruguayan is understood to be targeting experienced forwards capable of taking a place in the match-day squad straight away, rather than up-and-coming youngsters who are still to prove themselves at a similar level to the Premier League. Therefore, Sunderland have called off their pursuit of Manchester City attacking midfielder Bruno Zuculini.

The Black Cats’ attacking situation is complicated by the continued uncertainty over Wickham, who was strongly linked with a possible £8m move to managerless Crystal Palace over the weekend.

Poyet remains determined to hold on to Wickham this month, but the 21-year-old’s continued reluctance to sign a new deal means Sunderland’s board will be compelled to consider any further offers, having already turned down a £4m bid from West Ham.

“In the next couple of weeks, if I get a phone call from the chief executive, I might not answer it,” said Poyet. “I don’t want any offers, but the situation is that if somebody offers money for a player, you can’t stop that. And there are offers that no one in the world can refuse.

“For example, when (Cristiano) Ronaldo was at Manchester United, I thought, ‘No, it doesn’t matter how much money they are offered’. But Manchester United said, ‘Yes, he’s going’.

“One of the worst situations I remember in football was with (Dimitar) Berbatov at Spurs, going to Manchester United. It was horrible to be there with Berba, not knowing if he was going. And then it’s tough because you need to bring other players in.

“I want them (Wickham and Steven Fletcher) to stay. They’ve played all pre-season together and I hope they can see how they play with us. They’ve got a place in the team. At the minute, there are no offers.”

Poyet admitted to mixed emotions in the wake of Saturday’s game, with Sunderland struggling for fluency in the first half before improving markedly after the interval.

“The last 20 or 25 minutes, that’s the way we need to play,” he said. “If the opposition plays, you need to adapt to the game.

“I wasn’t very happy with the way we played in the first half, especially technically. If we want to pass the ball, we need to be better than that.”

 

Who made that bit up at the start?

 

After Saturday I'm starting to worry. Couldn't really see any improvement from last season.

Now looks like we are not going to have to panic buy/loan because we have messed about hanging on for Borini for too long.

I still think we will be ok but I cannot really see an improvement on 14th at the moment.

 

`Sunderland’s offer will effectively remain on the table until the closure of the transfer window on September 1`

Why? Surely the offer can be withdrawn?

`both Poyet and sporting director Lee Congerton are reluctant to spend that kind of money at such a late stage of the transfer window on a player or players who they have not extensively scouted in the last few weeks.`

What sort of admission is that? What have Congerton and his band of merry scouts been doing? Buggerall by the sound of it.

Gettin a strop on again.

 

Like i posted earlier.


GUS POYET hopes to learn more over Sunderland’s lengthy pursuit of Liverpool striker Fabio Borini on Monday.

Sunderland have a fortnight left of the transfer window to wrap up a move for Borini - more than four weeks after the Black Cats’ £14million bid was accepted by Liverpool.

Poyet revealed last week that it wasn’t a lack of commitment from Borini to re-join Sunderland which was holding up the move.

And the Echo understands that there is more to the hold-up than simply Liverpool waiting to sign another striker before they rubber-stamp Borini’s departure.

A second loan move for Borini could be a possibility too.

But Poyet, who has continued to remain positive over Sunderland’s prospects of signing Borini, said: “I should know something today or tomorrow, I hope. We’ll see.”

http://www.sunderlandecho.com/sport...y-crunch-for-poyet-s-borini-pursuit-1-6790513


Anyhow get this ****e where it belongs, in that ****ing epic borini thread.

 

Northern echo, bag of ****e.

 

I still think Borini will be our player. Liverpool are about to sign another striker where is that going to leave Borini? this is a clever play by the club, they are saying were looking at loans now so either sign or it might be too late if we find someone better. Borini must know he is not going to get any football at Liverpool this season so he is going to have to sit in the reserves or sign for us. Simple as that, I am sure he wants to come and its his agent and Liverpool messing us around. So we have put it back on them get it done or we go somewhere else.

 

Should have done that a fortnight ago imo.

Now they say the offer remains on the table? More than that they say we haven`t properly looked at alternatives? Crass stupidity even by our standards.

 

14th was a false position I think last season, I know the table doesnt lie but it did for us last season, we were terrible until we were installed with the power of god for the last 7 games.

I would snap your hands off for 14th this year and another cup run.

 

Terrible admission to say we haven't looked at alternatives all this time. Poyet said weeks ago he had a plan B but clearly he didn't. Very unproffesional to say the least. But surely Wellbeck fits the bill? He can play up top or wide so where is the gamble in that? If he goes to Hull without us even trying i'd be pissed off!..

 

Who says that? The papers. It's unsubstantiated bullshit.

 

No they didn't, they said "both Poyet and sporting director Lee Congerton are reluctant to spend that kind of money at such a late stage of the transfer window on a player or players who they have not extensively scouted in the last few weeks."
Not the same statement at all. If they rushed out and signed a "panic buy" there would be more criticism. Talk about dammed if you do and dammed if you don't!

 

The question I was raising was why alternatives hadn`t been properly scouted. It may well be paper bullshit but there`s no evidence to the contrary that I can see. There`s been nothing about talks with other viable options (players or agents) so there`s no pressure been put on Liverpool, Borini or his agent.

Plenty of rumours, gossip and other nonsense but we seem to have done nothing as alternatives in case this fails. All I`m asking is why not?

 

But they have had plenty of time to research other options and then it wouldnt have been a gamble.

 

I`m certain that other opportunities will have been properly scouted - I guess the reference is part of the "keep Fabio sweet" campaign as GP would prefer him over the other options available...what will be will be - personally I`d love to get Welbeck over Borini

 

We have looked stupid from the day he went on the US tour we should have pulled out then, he is not worth 14m in my opinion and we are begging at that price, our transfer dealings are farcial, who is in charge Brian ******* Rix.

 

I trust Gus and the club, the papers have done what they wanted to do, which is get people talking and arguing about it all. I am sure Gus knows exactly what he is doing. I am also sure the only reason they don't want to spend 14m is that they have scouted other players and don't think they are worth that outlay.

You can spin things how you like to get a reaction that's what the papers have done.

It could have read:

GUS shuns Liverpool star in favor of better options.

Gus takes 14m off Liverpools table in favor of more "high profile" players.

Sunderland don't rate Borini and look at other options.

Sunderland decide Borini not good enough and look to Vargas.

Sunderland want Welbeck and withdraw 14m Borini offer.

All the above are complete bollox but could have been written by any paper to put a different spin on the situation.

 

So this is the big exclusive from the Echo is it? What load of ****ing bollocks. If they're going to make things up they might as well pay a bit of attention so it at least sound like they know what they're going on about. Gus has screemed it from the roof tops that we have alternatives already in place. The quote have nothing to do with the **** they're spouting. Load of ****. IT's a darlington paper, why would they get the 'exclusive' anyway? Load of ****.

 

It's not aqn admission, it's a newspaper statement with nothing to support it.

Don't get in a strop Pops. Gus has already confirmed we have alternatives. You're too long in the tooth to be believing this **** fella. The Echo has provided nothing to back that statement up. Don't be daft enough to believe it. It's a complete none story.

 

I know mate, and you`re right of course it`s just that I think it`s making us look a daft now. Almost as if we`re begging. He`s a better player than what we have but he`s not a world beater.

Gus obviously has a lot more patience than me.