Santander £31m price ‘blown out proportion’

Federico Santander’s reported £31million valuation has been “blown out of proportion”, according to the player’s agent.

Recent reports from a number of South American media outlets have suggested that Sunderland could be set to make a move for the Paraguayan international frontman, who currently plys his trade with FC Copenhagen in Denmark.

The rumoured valuation of £31million placed on the 25-year-old’s head, though, would make any move by David Moyes, who is desperate to add forward reinforcements in January, an extremely expensive one.

But the player’s agent, Oskar Olsen, has played down that talk.

And he has also moved to quash any talk of interest, including from the Black Cats.

Asked if he wished to comment on the recent links with his player and Sunderland, among others, Olsen said: “Not really.

“The interest and figures have been blown out of proportion.

“We don’t wish to comment any further at this moment.”

Moyes is keen to add at least one striker to his squad in the winter window, with Jermain Defoe the only senior, fully fit forward in his ranks.

Fabio Borini is on the sidelines with a groin injury, and is unlikely to return for at least another month.

Victor Anichebe meanwhile – brought to the Stadium of Light as a free agent after Sunderland failed to sign another forward before the transfer window shut – is still struggling for fitness and has only played a handful of first-team minutes as a substitute.

Santander had been linked with filling Sunderland’s need for a new frontman, but the staggering price quoted and his lack of goals both domestically and at international level, in which he has one in six for Paraguay, make a move unlikely.

The striker has scored 17 goals since joining Copenhagen in a £2.77 million move from Club Guarani in 2015.