Sunderland defender Sebastian Coates has joined Portugese side Sporting Lisbon on loan for the rest of the season. The 25-year old Uruguayan could make his debut in this weekend’s home game against Academica.  Coates arrived at the Stadium of Light in 2014, on an initial loan deal from Liverpool, before making the switch to Wearside permanent last summer.

Watford are set to sign Spanish midfielder Mario Suarez from Fiorentina for a fee believed to be about £4m, reports BBC Three Counties Radio. The 28-year-old has only made 13 appearances side joining the Italian side from Atletico Madrid last July. He played 121 league games in five years at Atletico, scoring four goals. Suarez, capped three times by Spain, also worked with Hornets manager Quique Sanchez Flores when he was Atletico boss between 2009 and 2011.

Cristiano Ronaldo has added to his ever-growing property empire with a swanky hotel in a very luxurious district in Monte Carlo, according to reports. Oh, and he’s signed the deal with none other than Republican US presidency candidate Donald Trump. The Real Madrid player will have nothing to worry about once he quits the game (Ronaldo turns 31 this year, so he’s got a little while to go). His impressive portfolio already includes a €16 million apartment in New York’s Trump Tower and a mansion in Cheshire worth €6 million, amongst other assets. MARCA reported that his new Monte Carlo venture also includes Trump and Alessandro Proto under the name Proto Group.

Real Madrid have tried three times in the last five years to sign Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi, according to a report in Spain. The ’Partido de las Doce’ programme on the Cadena COPE radio station claimed representatives of the capital club approached the Argentinian in 2011, 2013 and 2015, but were rebuffed on each occasion. Messi, who earlier this month won a fifth Ballon d’Or award for the best player on the planet, has been instrumental in Barcelona’s success in recent years, with the club claiming a Champions League, Primera Division and Copa del Rey treble last season. The report claimed the first approach in 2011 came at a time when Cristiano Ronaldo was being linked with a move to Manchester City. In June 2013 it was reported that a Real executive – on instruction from club president Florentino Perez – made a renewed attempt to sign him after they had lost out to Barcelona in the pursuit of Neymar and with Ronaldo still to commit to a new deal.

Novak Djokovic advanced to his sixth Australian Open final with a 6-1 6-2 3-6 6-3 victory over Roger Federer. The world number one dominated the first two sets with some superb hitting, then had to hold off a spirited Federer fightback. It is the third straight Grand Slam in which Djokovic has beaten the Swiss, prolonging Federer’s wait for an 18th major title. Djokovic will face Andy Murray or Canada’s Milos Raonic in the final. The Serb has beaten British number one Murray in the final on three previous occasions in the final, including last year’s four-set victory. “I played unbelievably in the first two sets but I needed to because Roger has been playing unbelievably and I knew he would be aggressive,” Djokovic said.

Sunderland have signed Ivory Coast defender Lamine Kone from French side Lorient for an undisclosed fee. The France-born 26-year-old has signed a four-and-a-half-year contract with the Premier League strugglers. “He is big and strong, attributes you need to play in central defence in the Premier League,” Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce told the club’s website. The Black Cats have also signed keeper Steve Harper, striker Dame N’Doye and defender Jan Kirchhoff in January. Allardyce announced on 8 January that attempts to sign Kone had broken down. But with the deal now completed, Allardyce said: “Strengthening our defensive options was a priority for us and Lamine is a player that has impressed me when I’ve seen him play. “His arrival will give us healthy competition for places in a key position.”

Manchester City clawed back a first-leg deficit to beat Everton and set up a Capital One Cup final date with Liverpool after a thrilling game at the Etihad. Everton looked on course for Wembley when Ross Barkley’s brilliant run and 20-yard shot added to their 2-1 advantage from the first leg in the 18th minute – but manager Roberto Martinez was left nursing a burning sense of injustice after an enthralling encounter turned on a controversial decision. Fernandinho’s deflected shot put City level on the night before the break but Everton still had the edge. That was until City substitute Kevin de Bruyne, who was later taken off with a serious-looking knee injury, turned home Raheem Sterling’s cross with 20 minutes left. Everton could not recover their composure and City, who had earlier hit the woodwork through Sergio Aguero and David Silva, sealed their place in the final on 28 February when the Argentine headed De Bruyne’s cross beyond keeper Joel Robles. It meant joy for City and bitter disappoint tinged with fury for Martinez and Everton.