Will the reported Celtic target regret not joining up with Brendan Rodgers once more?
The Chronicle reported on Wednesday that Sunderland attacker Fabio Borini has his heart set on a return to Italy this summer in spite of interest from Celtic.
The Telegraph reported last month that Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers – who has worked with the Italian at three different clubs – wanted to bring him to Parkhead.
With Rodgers agreeing a deal for Aberdeen winger Jonny Hayes (via The Sun) a move for Borini now looks all but dead, but the 26-year-old might come to regret it.
If he returns to Italy then Lazio or AC Milan look like the most likely destination after The Daily Mail reported at the end of May that both wanted him.
Both are huge Italian clubs but, unlike Celtic, neither can offer him Champions League football next season, with both sides in the Europa League next term.
Not only that but the Italy international has not won anything in football yet and though he might find success in his homeland, the chances of trophies are far greater with Celtic in Scotland.
Plus, who is to say he is good enough to succeed in Italy?
Borini netted a meagre two Premier League goals in 24 appearances for Sunderland last season, though he would have fared far better in the Scottish Premiership.
He need only look at how well Scott Sinclair – who netted twice in 27 Premier League appearances for Aston Villa in the 2015-16 campaign – did last season to know that he would have been a hit in Scotland, with Sinclair hitting 25 goals last term and becoming revered by the fanbase.
Like Sinclair, Borini has worked with Rodgers in the past and the Northern Irishman might have got the very best out of him.
He will get more money in Italy, but he would have been a big player in an ambitious and successful, Champions League team whose fans might’ve come to adore him. You can’t put a price on that.
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