FABIO BORINI is close to completing a move to Lazio, with Sunderland officials pushing for a permanent £6m transfer rather than an initial 12-month loan arrangement.

A senior Lazio delegation led by sporting director Igli Tare spent yesterday in talks with Black Cats chief executive Martin Bain, having been given the green light to try to push through a deal.

Lazio are keen to sign Borini on a season-long loan deal, with a view to a permanent transfer next summer if the next 12 months go to plan.

However, the Sunderland hierarchy would rather agree a permanent switch now, enabling them to bank the transfer fee and remove Borini’s wages from the balance sheet as they continue to conduct delicate takeover talks with a Germany-based consortium.

Sources close to the discussions claim the Black Cats are confident of securing a permanent sale, even if it might mean Lazio’s payments are staggered over the course of Borini’s contract at the Stadio Olimpico.

AC Milan have also expressed an interest in securing the forward’s services, but Lazio’s attempts to engineer a deal are at a much more advanced stage, and Borini is understood to be keen to join a side that finished in fifth position in Serie A last season, securing automatic passage to the group stage of the Europa League.

The 26-year-old cost £9m when he joined Sunderland permanently in 2015, but while his initial loan spell was a success, with Borini helping the Black Cats reach the Capital One Cup final, his second spell on Wearside was much less effective.

He managed just two Premier League goals last season, and found himself struggling to hold down a place in the starting line-up under David Moyes.

He still has two years of his current contract to run, but the Black Cats’ relegation effectively signalled the end of his time on Wearside, with his hefty wages always likely to be unsustainable in the Championship.

Meanwhile, Jason Denayer is set to join French side Lyon on a season-long loan, having spent last season at the Stadium of Light.

Denayer has returned to Manchester City following the end of his spell at Sunderland, but despite having also had loan periods at Celtic and Galatasaray, the Belgian defender is no closer to his parent club’s first team.

Pep Guardiola has recommended another loan move this summer, and Denayer is close to striking an agreement with Lyon, who finished fourth in the Ligue 1 table last season.