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MANQUILLO THRILLED TO SIGN FOR SUNDERLAND AS FOCUS SWITCHES TO BARNSLEY ACE
Sunderland will look to step up their interest in £3million Barnsley defender Alfie Mawson after Javier Manquillo arrived on a season-long loan.
The 22-year-old Atletico Madrid full-back has joined with a view to a permanent four-year deal.
With Sunderland now fully stocked at right-back, David Moyes will look to add another defender, striker and central midfielders to his squad before Wednesday’s 11pm deadline.
Mawson, 22, is being tracked by a host of Championship and Premier League clubs, but Sunderland are working hard to beat their rivals to his signature.
Sunderland have also been linked with a fresh move for £7million-rated Sevilla defensive midfielder Vicente Iborra, who has been on the club’s radar all summer.
Iborra, who only signed a new deal until 2020 last summer, has made 83 appearances for Sevilla, scoring 17 goals,
since moving from Levante in 2013.
It is understood he will be allowed to leave for the right price, with Sevilla chairman Jose Castro confirming that the Europa League holders have had an offer for him, although he didn’t confirm it was from Sunderland.
He said: “We have an important offer for Iborra. In this moment, it isn’t clear if we will accept it and we will wait to see what happens in next [few] days.”
Moyes has made six signings with Papy Djilobodji, Paddy McNair, Donald Love, Adnan Januzaj, Steven Pienaar and Manquillo arriving on Wearside.
The agreement for Manquillo is a season-long loan initially, which includes an option for Sunderland to make the move a permanent four-year deal after the completion of the loan.
“I am very happy to come back to the Premier League,” said former Liverpool loanee Manquillo .
“I’m really pleased to sign for Sunderland because they have tried really hard to get me here and, since the very first minute, they have been really welcoming.
“I am very happy to be here and I can assure every single Sunderland fan that I will be giving my best at every training day and match.
“I want to give everything inside of me for this club.
“Since the very first minute I arrived at the club, I have met some great people and they are looking forward to big things.
“This club is very big and I cannot expect any better in terms of staff, stadium facilities and supporters. They are great, so I think the club is going to have a great future.
“Everything I have seen since I came is a club that is looking forward to doing very good things.”
Manquillo spent the 2014-15 season on loan at Liverpool but failed to establish himself as a first-team regular at Anfield under thenmanager Brendan Rodgers.
Manquillo – a former target of Juventus – enjoyed a productive spell last season on loan at Marseille, but he was surplus to requirements at Atletico this season.