But if Coates does join the Black Cats, manager Gus Poyet would have to finally give up on landing his Anfield team-mate Fabio Borini or buy the Italian outright.

Poyet, aware that Borini is reluctant to pledge his long-term future to Sunderland, has considered another temporary arrangement like last season.

But Premier League rules do not allow a club to sign two players on loan from the same club so if Coates comes in, it would be a case of conceding defeat in his pursuit of Borini or paying the £14m agreed with Liverpool more than a month ago.

Poyet has set a Thursday deadline for Borini to give him an answer on a move to Wearside after stalling for weeks.

Privately, he accepts the odds are stacked against Borini joining Sunderland which has seen him step up his interest in Lille's former Chelsea winger Salomon Kalou over the weekend.