Use your head like Sadio and subscribe to the Liverpool FC newsletter Sign me up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Liverpool's summer clearout is set to start with the £4million sale of Sebastian Coates to Sunderland.

The Reds have a deal in place with the Black Cats and the centre-back is expected to complete a permanent move to the Stadium of Light next week.

Coates, whose involvement in the Copa America ended when Uruguay lost to hosts Chile in the quarter-finals on Wednesday, spent last season on loan in the North East.

He was hampered by injuries and only played 13 games but enjoyed a run in the side under new boss Dick Advocaat towards the end of the campaign and helped keep them in the top flight.

Coates, who made 24 appearances for Liverpool following his £5million move from Nacional in the summer of 2011, is surplus to requirements at Anfield with Martin Skrtel, Mamadou Sakho, Dejan Lovren and Kolo Toure all ahead of him in the pecking order. The Reds also have Tiago Ilori and new signing Joe Gomez as other central defensive options.

Much of the focus has been on incomings at Anfield with Liverpool following up their £29million swoop for Hoffenheim’s Roberto Firmino this week by agreeing a £12.5million deal with Southampton for Nathaniel Clyne.

The England right-back is expected to be confirmed as the Reds’ sixth summer signing early next week.

However, Coates’ exit will be the first step towards off-loading the dead wood in Brendan Rodgers’ squad and boosting the coffers as Liverpool look to invest heavily in a proven striker with Aston Villa’s Christian Benteke, Sevilla’s Carlos Bacca and Zenit St Peterburg’s Salomon Rondon on their shortlist.

The Reds have registered their interest in Bacca but have yet to decide whether to trigger the Colombian’s £21.3million release clause. Benteke is Rodgers’ preferred option but Liverpool are unwilling to pay Villa’s £32.5million asking price.

The strike trio of Mario Balotelli, Fabio Borini and Rickie Lambert, who managed just four league goals between them last season, are all available for transfer.

Jose Enrique and Luis Alberto are also set to be off-loaded with captain Steven Gerrard, Glen Johnson and Brad Jones having already departed as free agents.

Raheem Sterling will join that list if Manchester City meet Liverpool’s £50million valuation of the England international. City have yet to return with a third bid after their improved offer of £40million was rejected last week.