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After a long pursuit of Ignacio 'Nacho' Scocco, that started in the summer and was revived earlier this month, a pursuit that was complicated due to competition from Cardiff City, Sunderland look to have finally landed one of their primary transfer targets.
After Internacional played and won 2-1 against Passo Fundo earlier today, reports emerged that a deal to take Scocco to Sunderland should be completed early this week. According to Radio Gaucha, Sunderland made an offer that appealed to the board of Internacional and that the sale will be announced within days.
Sunderland have already forward their contract offer to Scocco and the Argentinian international is expected to cost £1.5m initially, which will go to Newell's Old Boys for the debt Inter owe to the Argentine side, with Internacional receiving no more than £2.5m for the transfer and that to be paid in installments. So the final cost should be in the region of £4m.
Scocco had been training separately from the rest of the Inter squad after asking to leave the club due to lack of playing time and the player was openly criticised by the club.
The 28-year-old joined Internacional in the summer, when they beat off competition from Sunderland for the striker, but was in and out of the Brazilian's side squad and only managed 16 games for the club, in the time he scored three goals and only completed 90 minutes three twice.
It was a different story at Newell's, as he was the focal point for the side and scored 32 goals for (current Barcelona manager) Gerardo Martino's side, as they won the 2012-13 Torneo Final. got to the semi-final of the Copa Libertadores and where he was also a teammate of current Sunderland defender Santiago Vergini.
Should he completed his signing as expected, he will be Sunderland's fourth purchase of the window, after Marcos Alonso and fellow Argentine internationals Santiago Vergini and Oscar Ustari.
Stay tuned to Roker Report throughout January as we keep you up to date with his and all other transfer news and rumours. Also, feel free to keep in touch with our dedicated Transfer Centre, which you can do by CLICKING HERE.
