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It's been over six weeks since Sunderland agreed a £14m fee with Liverpool for last season's heroic loanee Fabio Borini and the answer that the club so desperately wanted to hear has failed to materialise. Indeed, the Italian hasn't given any indication whatsoever of his intentions ahead of today's transfer deadline, despite being strongly advised by Brendan Rodgers to move on.
In the interval since the Black Cats' offer was lodged, Borini has been training with Liverpool in an effort to make an impact at Anfield, but to no avail thanks to new additions within the Reds' striking department. Additionally, he's also been linked with switches to both Inter and AC Milan, along with West Ham United and Spanish champions Atletico Madrid during the last month-and-a-half. All the while, Sunderland have been waiting patiently for a resolution to the agreed deal with Liverpool for their number one summer target.
Finally, on the final day of the transfer window, it looks like Borini has eventually come to the realisation that his chances of featuring at Liverpool are severely limited and the only solution is to seek regular football elsewhere. Unfortunately for Sunderland, it appears the king of brinkmanship Harry Redknapp has stolen a march on all other potential suitors in the hunt for Fabio's prized signature.
According to reports emanating from the both the Liverpool Echo and Sky Sports, an initial fee of £10m, plus a further £3m in various add-ons, has been accepted by Liverpool and therefore permission has been granted for the player to talk terms with QPR.
Though it has looked increasingly obvious that Borini wasn't going to return to the Stadium of Light as time wore on, it would still be a rather disappointing conclusion to matters should he choose to join a newly-promoted side who've experienced a stuttering start to the season over a club where he enjoyed such adulation from the fans throughout his successful loan spell last campaign.
With just over six hours left before the window shuts, a proposal taking the former Chelsea man back to the capital is yet to be rubber-stamped. However, all evidence suggests a move to Loftus Road is the most likely outcome of this drawn-out transfer pursuit as the deadline draws ever nearer.