Sunderland have completed the signing of Italian striker Fabio Borini from Liverpool, the Premier League club announced on Monday.
Borini, who spent the 2013-14 season on loan at Sunderland, signed a four-year contract for an undisclosed fee understood to be around £7million ($10.8million, 9.6million euros), with a further £2 million in potential add-ons.
“Sunderland are delighted to announce the signing of Fabio Borini from Liverpool for an undisclosed fee,” a statement on the club’s website confirmed.
“The 24-year-old has signed a four-year deal at the Stadium of Light and returns to the club following a successful loan spell during the 2013-14 season, during which he became a fan favourite with 10 goals including strikes against Newcastle United, Chelsea and at Wembley during the League Cup final.”
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The Black Cats’ former head coach Gus Poyet had wanted to sign Borini on a full-time contract last year, but was unable to persuade him to turn his back on his ambitions at Anfield.
However, Borini was unable to force his way into Brendan Rodgers’ plans, making just 18 Liverpool appearances last season.
There had been speculation that Watford could tempt Borini to Vicarage Road, but Sunderland, who collected their second league point of a testing start to the new season in a 2-2 draw at Aston Villa on Saturday, beat them to the punch with a lucrative deal.
The signing is a boost to Sunderland manager Dick Advocaat, who has spent much of the last few weeks bemoaning the lack of quality in his squad and urging owner Ellis Short and sporting director Lee Congerton to resolve that issue.
“Fabio is a great addition to the squad who will make our front line stronger. He can play in a number of attacking positions which is a huge benefit to the team,” Advocaat said.
Borini joins Jeremain Lens, Yann M’Vila and loan signing Ola Toivonen on the list of Sunderland’s recent signings, and Advocaat will hope he can make a similar impact to his previous spell on Wearside as the Black Cats try to avoid a relegation battle.
Roma
Midfielder William Vainqueur has completed his move from Dinamo Moscow to Roma.
The 26-year-old, who previously played for Nantes and Standard Liege, made 27 appearances for the Russian side following his move from Belgium last summer, scoring twice.
Vainqueur, who will wear the number 21 for Roma, told the club’s official website: “I’m here because Roma are a great team and Rome is a wonderful city.
“I’ll give my all for this very famous shirt. I’ve heard a lot about the Giallorossi fans - they’re one of the best sets of fans anywhere.”
Roma beat defending champions Juventus 2-1 at the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday night.
Stuttgart
Bayer Leverkusen have loaned Australian forward Robbie Kruse to their Bundesliga rivals Stuttgart until the end of the season.
The 26-year-old will wear the number nine shirt, which only became available when Vedad Ibisevic left for Hertha Berlin on Sunday.
“I’m really looking forward to this new challenge with Stuttgart and I would like to play my part in ensuring we enjoy better sporting fortunes in the coming weeks and months,” Kruse told his new club’s official website.
“Robbie Kruse knows the Bundesliga very well,” added Stuttgart’s director of sport Robin Dutt.
“He has been involved in all of pre-season for Leverkusen and has played a few times this season.
“With his pace and mobility, he is a perfect addition for our game.”
Athletic Bilbao
Athletic Bilbao have completed the signing of Spain international Raul Garcia from Primera Division rivals Atletico Madrid.
The 29-year-old midfielder, who played more than 200 matches for Atletico, passed his medical with the Basque club on Monday before putting pen to paper on a four-year contract.
Athletic said in a statement: “Raul Garcia will be presented at 1700 (local time) on Monday, August 31 as a new player of Athletic Bilbao.
“The player will be tied to the club until June 30, 2019 and his buy-out clause will be 40million euros.”
Villareal
Villarreal have further bolstered their forward line by taking Spaniard Adrian Lopez on loan from Porto for the season, the Europa League participants said on Monday.
Adrian, 27, had stints at clubs including Real Oviedo, Deportivo La Coruna and Malaga before he spent three years at Atletico Madrid between 2011 and 2014, helping the team win the Europa League, La Liga and King’s Cup.
Villarreal have also recently brought in former Spain striker Roberto Soldado and Congo forward Cedric Bakambu while Brazilian Leo Baptistao has arrived on loan from Atletico.
St Etienne
St Etienne have announced the signing of Slovenia international striker Robert Beric from Rapid Vienna.
Beric has previously played for NK Maribor and Sturm Graz, and joins Les Verts on a four-year deal.
The 24-year-old scored 31 goals in 34 appearances for Rapid Vienna, with the Austrian side understandably reluctant to see him leave.
In a statement on their website, Rapid Vienna sporting director Andreas Muller said: “There were several concrete offers for Robert Beric in the last few weeks and months and we have had numerous and intensive discussions with him and his advisors.
“We wanted Beric to continue in our team...Robert, unlike us regrettably, no longer believed that a stay at Rapid was the best way for him.”
Bordeaux
Brazilian central defender Pablo Nascimento Castro has joined French side Bordeaux on a four-year deal from Ponte Preta, his new club announced on Monday.
The 24-year-old, who has also played for Gremio, moves to Ligue 1 for an undisclosed fee, although reports in Brazil indicated that he had a release clause saying he could leave Ponte Preta for around two million euros ($2.24m, £1.5m).
Bordeaux are in this season’s Europa League and have been drawn in the same group as Liverpool, Rubin Kazan and Sion.
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