Fabio Borini
Fabio Borini

Fabio Borini's agent has confirmed that Sunderland have made a "large offer" of £14m for the Liverpool forward, but insists the player wants to continue at Anfield.

The 23-year-old spent the last season on loan away from the Merseyside club at the Stadium of Light. The Italian forward impressed in the Black Cats last campaign, scoring 10 goals in all competitions, which includes a strike in their defeat in the Capital One Cup final against Manchester City.

Borini was linked with a move to Sunderland on a permanent transfer. However, the player's agent Marco De Marchi says his client is convinced that he will play for Brendan Rodgers' side next season.

"Sunderland have made a large offer of €18 million [£14m] to sign him, but Fabio wants to stay," De Marchi told Tutto Mercato Web.

"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 [at Liverpool]. He was out for six months with various injuries and during the past year he took a step back by going to Sunderland and he has had an extraordinary season."

"Now, after the loan, Liverpool have not told me anything. I think he will stay, he is convinced that he will play."

Meanwhile, Sunderland manager Gus Poyet has admitted that his side have already agreed a fee with Liverpool for Borini's transfer. However, the 46-year-old Uruguayan claimed the deal is not closed yet.

"What I can say is that we have agreed [a deal] with Liverpool, we are waiting for correspondence and then we move on from there," Poyet explained.

"It's clear the impact Fabio had last season. And we are going to spend that amount of money on a player because we know how much he can give us. He would be perfect for us but it's an ongoing thing."

"We have done the steps that we needed to do properly, and now we are waiting. We want to do things the right way," the Sunderland manager concluded.