Liverpool agree fee for Borini with Black Cats

It has been reported that Liverpool and Sunderland have reached an agreement over Italian striker Fabio Borini, who spent last season on loan at the Stadium of Light.

The fee is believed to be £14m, which clearly reflects the potential both clubs think the player has, after he scored 10 goals last term, playing an important role in securing Sunderland’s survival, for another season in the Premier League.

Gus Poyet’s side are odds-on at 1/9 to stay up next campaign, and the Uruguayan will be looking to build on the fine form that the north east outfit produced in the latter stages of the past installment.

Borini will be the second forward to leave the Reds this summer, after Luis Suarez was sold to Barcelona for a fee in the region of £75m.

It is believed that Sunderland initially offered £10m, before an agreement was made for £4m more. The Italian’s permanent move north could well affect the future of Black Cat forward Connor Wickham who has been linked with a £5m move to one of next season’s Premier League new boys, Leicester City.

Wickham, however, is attracting the interest of a number of clubs, after his clinical scoring run at the end of last term brought him into possible England World Cup contention.

Liverpool may use some of the fee they receive to buy French striker Loic Remy who was previously thought to be attracting the attentions of north London clubs, Arsenal and Tottenham, though it seems both have now pulled out of the running.

The stumbling block for the Merseyside outfit is understood to be Remy’s wage demands, which are £80,000 per week. It is unlikely that Liverpool will meet that figure for a player who is yet to light up the Premier League, and talks could easily come to a halt.

Brendan Rodgers has a substantial amount to reinvest in new players, after the windfall from Suarez, plus a transfer war chest that was already agreed before the end the season. The Reds are 10/1 to win the Premier League next campaign.