Mauro Zarate to head to Stadium of Light.
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Argentine striker Mauro Zarate is set to return to the Premier League with Sunderland wanting to sign the Lazio forward on loan for the remainder of the season, the Sunday People report.
After adding defender Kader Mangane and midfielder Alfred N’Diaye to his squad already in the transfer window, Sunderland boss Martin O’Neill has made signing a striker his main priority as he looks to ease the workload on top scorer Steven Fletcher.
Swansea City’s Danny Graham is expected to be on his way back to the north-east in a £4.5million deal, and Sunderland are now trying to tie up a deal to sign 25-year-old striker Zarate on a temporary loan deal.
Zarate has played in the Premier League before having had a five-month spell at Birmingham City in 2008. He scored four goals in 14 games but was unable to help keep the club in the top-flight as the season ended in relegation.
It is claimed that the loan deal to Sunderland, who have allowed Louis Saha to cancel his contract and who also look like selling Fraizer Campbell to Cardiff City, will also include the possibility to sign Zarate for £5million at the end of the season.
West Ham and Queens Park Rangers are also interested in signing the striker, who has play for Velez Sarsfield, Al-Saad and Inter Milan during his career.