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Coates has won 15 caps for Uruguay, including playing at the 2014 Fifa World Cup

Sunderland have signed defender Sebastian Coates and midfielder Ricardo Alvarez on season-long loan deals.

Uruguayan Coates, 23, joins from Liverpool having made 24 appearances since a 2011 transfer from Nacional.

Argentine Alvarez, 26, moves from Inter Milan, for whom he scored 14 goals in 90 appearances in three years.

"It's a great opportunity, a great club and I'm looking forward to playing in England," said Alvarez, who has been capped seven times.

He was part of the Argentina squad that reached the final of this summer's World Cup, featuring in the group-stage match against Nigeria.

Coates also played in Brazil, coming on as a second-half substitute in Uruguay's 2-1 group-stage win against England.

Sunderland's transfer window signings Ricardo Alvarez (Inter Milan, loan), Sebastian Coates (Liverpool, loan), Jack Rodwell (Manchester City), Jordi Gomez (Wigan), Billy Jones (West Brom), Costel Pantilimon (Manchester City), Santiago Vergini (Estudiantes, loan) , Patrick van Aanholt (Chelsea) and Will Buckley (Brighton).

The defender suffered a serious knee injury last summer and ended the season back on loan with former side Nacional.

He has not been in any of Liverpool's Premier League matchday squads this season.

Meanwhile, Sunderland have loaned defender Valentin Roberge to French Ligue 1 side Reims for the season.

The 27-year-old Frenchman, who arrived at Sunderland last summer from Portuguese club Maritimo, has made 13 appearances for the Black Cats.

His only first-team apearance this season came in the 2-2 opening-day draw with West Brom.