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There has been lots of talk and rumours about a possible swap deal between Sunderland and Fiorentina for Modibo Diakite and Marcos Alonso, naturally so as both clubs would prefer to keep the players they had on loan last season, however the agent of Diakite thinks that is now an unlikely outcome.
Speaking to firenzeviola.it, Ulisse Savini explained that Sunderland wish to recover their investment in the French defender, so will not consider another loan deal and a swap deal that had been proposed that would see Alonso and Diakite switch clubs is also unlikely to come to fruition due to interest in the Spanish left back from other Premier League clubs;
The Viola want to bring Diakitè back to Florence but the reality is that Sunderland - who has made a major investment in Modibo - wants to recover what they invested.
It was an idea that we had put up [the potential swap deal], but I think Alonso has many requests from the Premier so I see it as a difficult task. Diakite and Alonso are two different tracks at the moment.
Savini was then asked what the chances were of Diakite returning to Serie A with Fiorentina were, to which he replied;
If we are to listen to the will of the player, I would say more than 50%. But if you look at the facts today it is difficult to give a percentage: the boy from tomorrow goes back to Sunderland and will work towards the first game scheduled for August 16.
So it looks as if there will be no deal imminent for either player but with both clubs hoping to re-sign their former loanee and both players seemingly keen to return to the club they spent time on loan at, there must be a good chance of a deal that will suit all parties later on in the window.
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