The Uruguayan is now a regular at loan club Sporting Lisbon.
Sunderland outcast Sebastian Coates has been discussing his preference for life in Portugal compared to his time in English football.
The Uruguayan joined Liverpool in 2011 but has not played in England since leaving Sunderland for Sporting Lisbon in January last year.
Speaking to Ovacion this week the defender confirmed that the English league was not at the same standard as Portugal’s, but that he preferred playing with his current loan team:
“I arrived in January of 2016, in the winter market, although the English league is more dynamic or has more visibility than the Portuguese, this league is very good, has very good players and is competitive as well.
Sporting Lisbon’s Sebastian Coates
“Who was fighting for the championship, but then we could not get it. Year after year the goal is always to become champion and to qualify the cups and that was very positive for me.”
Coates is certainly something of a forgotten name at the Stadium of Light.
The 26-year-old joined the club from Liverpool, initially on loan, at the start of the 2014-15 season but after joining permanently he soon dropped out the first-team and was sold by Sam Allardyce. He has not played a game for Sunderland since January 2016 and despite his talent he certainly struggled to have the desired impact in the English game.
Uruguay defender Sebastian Coates
But in Portugal he has become a big hit and perhaps Sunderland are regretting him not being at the club in their current relegation peril.
But it sounds like the 26-year-old is perhaps happier where he is right now.
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