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Recap & Rumours: Sunderland offered Hammers goalkeeper & Why Borini exit may take time

A little R&R on a bank holiday Sunday evening to recap the day's rumours - reports in the national press have claimed Sunderland will be offered West Ham goalie Adrián plus cash for Jordan Pickford; and Fabio Borini's escape to Italy is dependent on several factors and it may be later in the summer before he finally departs.

West Ham United v Sunderland - Premier League Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images

Adrián plus cash for Jordan

According to a report in today's Sun, West Ham will offer Sunderland cash and goalkeeper Adrián in return for Jordan Pickford.

Chelsea v Sunderland - Premier League
Jordan Pickford in what was likely his last game for Sunderland on the last day of the season
Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

The Hammers' Spanish stopper has increasingly found his starting spot under threat at the London stadium and the deal may make sense for a Sunderland side who will be in need of a first choice 'keeper to replace Pickford with Vito Mannone also likely to leave the Stadium of Light.

The report claims a cash offer of £17m plus the £8m-rated Adrián is set to be tabled to tempt the Black Cats.

And the proposal may be a tempting one from a Wearside perspective. The 30-year-old once-capped Spaniard would instantly become the best goalkeeper in the Championship.

Adrián joined the East London outfit in 2015 from Real Betis signing an initial two-year deal with a further two year extension option. West Ham recently elected to trigger that clause to extend his contract to 2019.

That was done in part to ward off interest in the goalie from La Liga and from the Premier League with Crystal Palace and Everton linked with the player who has made over 100 appearances for West Ham.

West Ham United v Sunderland - Premier League
Adrian saving from Jermain Defoe last year
Photo by Christopher Lee/Getty Images

Whether the 6ft 3in 'keeper would be interested in dropping down into England's second-tier is debatable, though if the Seville-born player is settled in this country who knows.

Adrián likely harbours little hope of making a late emergence into the Spanish national side for next year's World Cup, stuck as he is behind Manchester United's David De Gea and Porto’s Ikar Cassilas so the necessity for him to be playing Premier League football to make Russia 2018 may be diminished.

But the Spaniard's salary demands may be an issue for a cash-strapped Sunderland side looking to drastically reconfigure a bloated wage bill. Though matching his present West Ham reward of £42,000 a week would still not make Adrián the highest paid player at the Stadium of Light next season.


Borini to AC Milan or Lazio - But it may take a while

Now-widespread reports have suggested Fabio Borini is a target for Italian clubs Lazio and AC Milan.

Chelsea v Sunderland - Premier League
Borini in his likely last ever game for Sunderland
Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

The 26-year-old is certain to be sold this summer as Sunderland restructure the side relegated from the Premier League into a leaner version which can compete in the Championship.

But the forward is supposedly being lined up at both Serie A sides as a replacement for two players whose futures are presently uncertain and may remain so until later in the summer.

Borini has been mooted as the man to replace Lazio's Keita who has been suggested as a target for the likes of Atletico Madrid.

And the Roman club may yet opt to put their faith in 22-year-old Danilo Cataldi as the man to replace Keita. Cataldi has been on loan at Genoa in the latter part of this season but looks likely to be given an opportunity at Lazio. But his future will only be determined after this summer's Under-21 European Championship.

Despite the weekend's speculation in the English press over Borini’s potential imminent departure to Italy, reports in his homeland suggest Lazio will only move for the Sunderland player if Keita leaves and they conclude from next month's tournament that Cataldi doesn't show the necessary to replace him.

SS Lazio v Juventus FC - TIM Cup Final
Keita Balde Diao of Lazio at the Coppa Italia final last week
Photo by Marco Rosi/Getty Images

As for Milan, they will only move for Borini if their 27-year-old striker Gianluca Lapadula is sold this summer. The player signed for 9-million-euros last year may be offered to Sampdoria in return for their 21-year-old Polish starlet Patrik Schick.

And yep, you've guessed it - Schick is expected to turn out for Poland at the Under-21 Championships so his future - and Borini's potentially - will also only be decided once the summer tournament is done.

A long road back to Italy yet perhaps for Fabio Borini then. In truth, the forward signed for Sunderland in a deal worth up to £10m in 2015 has been linked with a Lazio in particular for years. It's tended to be his wage demands which have proven a stumbling block. One report in Italy has today suggested he may be willing to take a pay cut of half-a-million euros a year to wangle a move to a decent Serie A side this summer.

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