Sunderland AFC hit the jackpot with Liverpool deal - it gave them a Stadium of Light cult hero | OneFootball

Fabio Borini left it all on the pitch while at the Stadium of Light, with a series of goals against the old foe.

Paolo Di Canio did not get much right during his time at the helm of Sunderland, which is why his car crash of a tenure only lasted 13 games.

In the summer of 2013, the Italian brought in a whopping 14 signings and, while most of them were forgettable, a handful went on to make names for themselves.

One of those players was his fellow compatriot Fabio Borini, who provided some of the best moments for the Wearsiders in recent memory, making him a cult hero at the Stadium of Light.

Fabio Borini had to leave Liverpool to flourish

Borini was a player with vast potential.

Having struggled to make the grade at Chelsea, the forward made several moves before completing an £11m deal to join Liverpool, making him Brendan Rodgers's first signing.

During his first season on Merseyside, the winger did not have much luck, playing just seven games before suffering a metatarsal fracture, keeping him out for over three months.

The Italian made a flurry of substitute appearances before another injury setback derailed his season, this time a shoulder injury which sidelined him for almost two months.

On his return, Borini bagged his first goal for the club in a 6-0 drubbing of Newcastle United, which wet his appetite for upsetting the Magpies at St James' Park.

However, his goal was not enough to convince Rodgers of his place at Anfield and a loan move was deemed the best route to Borini playing more football.

Borini and Sunderland were the perfect match

While the winger was left frustrated by his time at Liverpool, he always played with passion, energy and desire, which made him the ideal signing for the Black Cats.

His start at the Stadium of Light was not straightforward, with Borini having to settle for a place on the bench before he netted his first goal against a familiar foe - Newcastle.

The Italian eventually worked his way into the starting eleven through hard work and, although there was not always an end product, his new manager, Gus Poyet, recognised his dedication to the team.

The forward gave Wearsiders one of the greatest moments of recent times by putting his side ahead against Manchester City in the EFL Cup final before his trademark celebration. Although they went on to lose 3-1, it was a moment to savour.

Borini was born to play in fierce derbies and, halfway through the season, he once again was the thorn in the Magpies' side, scoring and assisting in a famous 3-0 win at St James' Park.

Saving his best form until the end of his loan spell, the winger played a starring role in Sunderland's great escape by scoring four goals and assisting once in the final five games of the campaign.

At the end of his spell on Wearside, Borini finished with 10 goals and three assists in all competitions, but more importantly, he left supporters wanting more.

While it looked like Borini was initially against returning to Wearside, he failed to make an impact at Anfield and joined Sunderland in a £10m deal a year later.

His first season back was reminiscent of his initial loan in the North East, with the winger bagging five goals and two assists as the club swerved relegation again.

However, the Black Cats were just delaying the inevitable as they suffered relegation from the Premier League a year later, with Borini dejected and with just two goals to his name.

Unfortunately for Borini and Sunderland, their partnership was not built to last as the Italian proved he had far more to offer than Championship football.

Although the Italian's career never hit the heights it promised in his early career, he certainly left his mark on English football, and more importantly, in the North East.

With fire in his belly and the ability to sink the Magpies, Borini possessed all the ingredients to be a Sunderland cult hero and remains the Wearsiders' favourite Italian.