Fabio Borini to Sunderland: Latest Transfer Details, Reaction and More

Fabio Borini finally completed his move away from Liverpool on Monday, joining Sunderland to bring an end to his disappointing career at Anfield. The news was confirmed by a release on Liverpool's official website.

The Italian joined the Reds in 2012 after a successful spell with AS Roma, becoming the first signing of Brendan Rodgers' tenure. An injury-filled 2012-13 campaign saw him drop down the pecking order at Anfield, and he moved to Sunderland on loan for the 2013-14 season in order to find more playing time.

Borini found some success with the Black Cats, and he was eager to make his mark for the Reds upon his return to Liverpool. He rejected a permanent move to Sunderland in 2014, per Tuttomercatoweb (h/t Sky Sports), and instead opted to battle for a starting position under Rodgers.

He never got his chance, however, as Rodgers froze the Italian out of the first team—much to the fury of his agent. Speaking to Corriere dello Sport (h/t Telegraph Sport), Marco De Marchi made it clear his client was unhappy with the way he was treated by the Reds back in June:

"

There are teams from all over Europe interested in him. Top clubs in Europe are keen on him, from the Premier League to the Bundesliga and there also clubs in Italy, but many clubs in Italy have had coaching changes and that has slowed things down.

He has no preference, he just wants a team that gives him a clear chance to prove himself. Right now he feels like a lion in a cage.

"

Things didn't change over the course of the summer, as reported by the Daily Mail's Dominic King, who was sure his career with the Reds was over:

Borini was once regarded as one of the top emerging talents in Italy, and his strong spell with Sunderland suggests he can still be an excellent player for the Black Cats once again. Rodgers had no use for him, so this transfer always seemed inevitable, but that doesn't mean Sunderland is making a mistake signing him at this point in time.

If he can rediscover the form that led to his initial move to Anfield, he could be one of the best value signings of the summer. Borini will likely never live up to the lofty expectations, but with his versatility, he can still become a serviceable forward capable of scoring goals and filling plenty of roles for Sunderland.