SUNDERLAND are considering Swansea City’s proposal of including Fabio Borini in a deal that could see Andre Ayew move to the Stadium of Light.

Black Cats officials have held a series of talks with their counterparts at the Liberty Stadium in an attempt to engineer a deal for Ayew, who joined Swansea as a free agent in the summer following the end of his previous contract at Marseille.

The Swans’ initial response was to rebuff Sunderland’s advances, but subsequent discussions have left the Wearside hierarchy convinced a deal could be brokered before the transfer window closes on February 1.

Sunderland owner Ellis Short is understood to be willing to pay around £12m for Ayew, but Swansea’s rulers are concerned they could struggle to secure an adequate replacement for the Ghanaian with less than two weeks until the transfer deadline.

As a result, they have raised the possibility of Borini being included as part of a deal that would also see Sunderland paying around £4m to secure Ayew.

Borini spent two months on loan at Swansea at the end of the 2010-11 season, scoring six goals in 12 matches, and the Welsh club remain strong admirers of the Italian’s attacking qualities.

Sunderland boss Sam Allardyce is less convinced of Borini’s strengths, with the striker having scored just two goals in 14 outings this season, and Swansea’s offer is currently being assessed.

Jordi Gomez has been mentioned as another possible makeweight in any deal, but Swansea are understood to be pushing for Borini rather than the Spanish midfielder.

If Sunderland opted to agree to Swansea’s request, Borini would have to agree to return to South Wales, and given his previous record at Liverpool, the 24-year-old could opt to dig in his heels if he does not feel another transfer would be in his best interests.

However, with Dame N’Doye already having arrived on a season-long loan from Trabzonspor, and Allardyce determined to add another attacking option before the transfer window closes, he could find his chances severely limited if he opts to remain on Wearside.

Sunderland’s attacking contingent was reduced by one yesterday when Danny Graham completed a loan move to Blackburn Rovers that effectively signals the end of his Black Cats career.

Graham has moved to Ewood Park for the remainder of the season, but given that his current contract is due to expire at the end of the season, he has almost certainly made his final appearance in a Sunderland shirt.

He leaves having scored just one goal in 41 appearances, and his time on Wearside will be regarded as a major failure.

Signed in a £5m move from Swansea by Martin O’Neill, Graham failed to carve out a regular place in Sunderland’s first team.

He arrived having scored 14 goals in his previous campaign for the Swans, but missed two presentable opportunities on his debut against Reading and had to wait 828 days for his first Sunderland goal.

That was an effort at Everton that deflected in off his heel, and would prove his only goal for the Wearsiders. He started this month’s FA Cup defeat at Arsenal and last weekend’s 4-1 reverse at Tottenham, where he was played out of position on the left-hand side, and like Costel Pantilimon, who joined Watford on Tuesday, has been sacrificed to clear some much-needed space on the wage bill.

“It’s been a mad 24 hours,” said Graham, who was raised in Chester-le-Street and started his career with Middlesbrough’s academy. “I was training with Sunderland (on Tuesday morning) and then I came down here to get things sorted, so I’m delighted to get it done.

“I was aware of the interest in the background and obviously I’ve been playing a bit at Sunderland the last few weeks, so I’m coming here with games under my belt, which is also pleasing.

“For me to get out of Sunderland and have a fresh challenge is superb for me, so I’m delighted to get it done. I can’t wait to get going and hopefully we can pull together and move up the table.”

Meanwhile, Will Buckley is looking to extend his one-month loan at Birmingham City to the end of the season, having made his Blues debut in last weekend’s 3-0 win over Derby County.

“The season has been a bit stop-start, and a bit frustrating,” said Buckley. “You lose that match sharpness when you’re not playing. You’re training every day, but you need those games. First-team football would be great for me.”