Sunderland have signed Liverpool striker Fabio Borini on a four-year-deal for an undisclosed fee.
The forward returns to the Stadium of Light having played for Sunderland on loan during the 2013/14 season, scoring seven goals in 32 Premier League appearances.
He also played a full part in the side’s run to the League Cup final that season and scored the opening goal at Wembley, though Manchester City won the game 3-1.
The Black Cats hoped to conclude a deal for Borini last summer but it failed to materialise and he stayed at Anfield last season.
He told Sunderland’s official website: “I am delighted to be back at Sunderland. It is a club I know really well from my time here previously.
“It will be emotional for me to play at the Stadium of Light again and I can’t wait to get back on the pitch as a Sunderland player.”
Gus Poyet was Borini’s manager during his previous spell at the club; his new boss is Dick Advocaat who said of his new recruit: “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.”
Borini was born in Italy but started his professional career in England, joining Chelsea in 2007 as a 16-year-old. He progressed through the youth team to make four appearances for the first team.
He had a successful loan spell with Swansea, helping them to win promotion to the Premier League and then returned to his native Italy to play for Roma before coming back to England, joining Liverpool in 2012.
He joins a Sunderland side who are bottom of the Premier League table, yet to win after four games of the new season, though they have drawn their last two games, against Swansea and Aston Villa.
