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Liverpool FC have sold central defender Sebastian Coates to Sunderland.

The Uruguayan defender, who had a year left on his Anfield contract, spent last season on loan at the Black Cats and will now make his move permanent for a fee the ECHO understands to be £4m.

Coates 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.

His efforts apparently impressed Advocaat enough to make him a full-time Sunderland player after the defender was deemed surplus to requirements by Brendan Rodgers.

Coates, who made 24 appearances for Liverpool following his £5m move from Nacional in the summer of 2011, had to contend with Martin Skrtel, Mamadou Sakho, Dejan Lovren and Kolo Toure all being ahead of him in the pecking order.

The Reds also have Tiago Ilori and new signing Joe Gomez as other central defensive options.

The departure comes after the Reds secured their sixth summer signing in Nathaniel Clyne, who joins the club from Southampton for a fee worth £12.5m.