Sebastian Coates joins Sporting Lisbon on loan from Sunderland for rest of the season
- Sebastian Coates pushed to exit door by arrival of Lamine Kone
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Sunderland have confirmed that defender Sebastian Coates has joined Sporting Lisbon on loan for the rest of the season.
The 25-year-old Uruguay international headed for Portugal following Sunderland's capture of Ivory Coast international Lamine Kone on Wednesday evening and could make his Sporting debut against Academica at the weekend.
Sunderland defender Sebastian Coates has joined Sporting Lisbon on loan for the rest of the season
Coates joined from Liverpool on loan in 2014 and made a permanent move to the Stadium of Light last year
Coates joined the Black Cats from Liverpool, initially on loan, in 2014 and made a permanent move to the Stadium of Light last summer.
He made 32 appearances for the club, but has been sacrificed as manager Sam Allardyce attempts to rebuild his squad while balancing the wage bill to meet Financial Fair Play regulations.
Coates began his career at Uruguayan side Nacional and impressed for his country at the 2011 Copa America.
He won the Best Young Player award as Uruguay went on to win the competiton, earning himself a £7m move to Liverpool in August that year.
He played only 24 times in three injury-riddled years at Anfield, scoring a spectacular scissor-kick in a 3-2 defeat by QPR in March 2012.
He has been sacrificed as manager Sam Allardyce attempts to rebuild the squad while balancing the wage bill
Coates moved to Liverpool in August 2011 but failed to impress despite scoring an acrobatic volley at QPR
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