Report: Sunderland not giving up on Marcos Alonso

Sunderland have not given up on Spanish defender Marcos Alonso despite securing the signing of left-back Patrick van Aanholt on a four-year contract this week, according to reports.

The 23-year-old, who spent last season on loan at Wearside, has been on manager Gus Poyet's radar over the last few weeks but the signing of Aanholt was expected to have put paid to the Fiorentina left-back's permanent transfer hopes to the Stadium of Light.

Poyet, however, admitted that he was still interested in the Spaniard, telling The Chronicle: "It's close, but not close enough. Everything is on track."

Alonso also played for Bolton Wanderers between 2010 and 2013.