After a hugely successful loan spell during the 2013-14 season, Fabio Borini instantly became Sunderland’s number one transfer target after returning to Liverpool for pre-season training in the summer of 2014.
Borini became a fans’ favourite at the Stadium of Light after scoring the goals that helped Sunderland beat Newcastle United both home and away, along with a string of other crucial strikes that dragged the club back from the brink of relegation and secured survival in remarkable circumstances.
His form during the campaign made clubs across England and Europe sit up and take notice, with Sunderland determined to make his stay on Wearside a permanent one.
Weeks before this date in August 2014, Sunderland had negotiated a deal with Liverpool worth around £14 million. With the clubs reaching an agreement, confidence was high that persuading Borini to return would simply be a formality after everything he had experienced during his loan spell.
As the weeks passed, however, there was almost complete radio silence. Supporters were beginning to grow increasingly frustrated, wondering whether the deal would ever be completed.
WiWith speculation mounting that Borini had got cold feet over a permanent move, his agent, Marco De Marchi, appeared to confirm those fears. Despite enjoying such a successful season on Wearside, Borini was determined to prove himself at Liverpool.
“Sunderland have made a large offer of €18 million to sign him, but Fabio wants to stay at Liverpool.
“His project with Liverpool started two years ago when he left Roma; he began a journey and it is a major project for him.
“He should not be judged on his first year. He was out for six months with various injuries and during the past year he took a step back by going to Sunderland, where he has had an extraordinary season.”
By this stage, the transfer had become something of a saga. Many supporters felt these comments should have brought the pursuit to an end, with Gus Poyet and his recruitment team turning their attention elsewhere.
However, after Sunderland’s 2-0 pre-season victory over Real Betis at Bishop Auckland, Poyet insisted he still believed a deal could be done. While admitting time was beginning to run out, he remained hopeful of landing his number one target.
“We’re still confident it is going to happen, but the longer it goes, the more we have to look at other options because that’s my job. But every time you are about to make a step forward (with another target), you stop because you still want Fabio.”
Whether it was simply naivety or whether Poyet knew more than the rest of us, the Uruguayan remained steadfast in his belief that Borini would eventually return, perhaps hoping Liverpool’s own transfer business would alter the situation.
Instead, Sunderland continued to pursue Borini almost to the bitter end, leaving themselves with fewer and fewer alternatives as the transfer window ticked away.
As it transpired, Borini remained at Liverpool for the 2014-15 campaign, making only a handful of appearances before finally returning to Wearside in the summer of 2015 in a cut-price deal.
Sometimes football transfers are remembered for the deals that happen. This one is remembered just as much for the weeks of waiting, endless rumours and false hope before Sunderland finally had to accept that, for one season at least, their dream reunion would have to wait.
