Sunderland sold Sebastian Coates at a £2m loss but the ex-Liverpool defender is worth far more to Sporting Lisbon after a fine season in the Primera Liga.
Sporting Lisbon’s Sebastian Coates
Sunderland supporters will not have endured too many sleepless nights when Sporting Lisbon triggered their option to turn Sebastian Coates’ loan deal into a permanent transfer in February to the tune of £4.25 million, the Daily Mail reports.
Four months on, however, their decision can be viewed in a very different light. After all, the Black Cats eventually succumbed to relegation thanks to an always unhelpful penchant for conceding sloppy goals.
With 69 in the goals against column, only Hull City were breached more often.
Former manager David Moyes took Sunderland down
And with the likes of John O’Shea out of contract, Jason Denayer returning to his parent club and Lamine Kone almost certain to jump ship, it appears that Papy Djilobodji may be Sunderland’s only senior centre-back going into the new season.
Furthermore, just to make Sunderland’s decision to part with Coates look even more foolish, Jornal de Noticas claims that Sporting would not part with the Uruguayan international for less than £17.5 million amid reported interest from Valencia.
While Sunderland were hemorrhaging goals at an alarming rate last season, the former Liverpool defender was taking his game to a new level in Portugal.
Although Jorge Jesus’ Sporting finished a disappointing third behind Benfica and FC Porto, Coates proved to be one of the signings of the season, his excellent performance against Real Madrid in the Champions League group stage sticking in the memory.
It is fair to say Sunderland would take him back now. Did we mention they sold Coates for £2 million less than they paid Liverpool to buy him?
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