Sunderland Transfers: Analysing The 6 Signings That Got De Fanti Sacked

6. Cabral

Adilson Tavares Varela, more commonly known to football folk simply as Cabral, moved to Wearside with a high reputation from FC Basel. The 25-year-old central midfielder, signed on a free transfer, looked a real coup initially. He arrived at Sunderland off the back of a fourth consecutive title win in Switzerland and gained sufficient European experience along the way, competing against English giants Manchester United and Chelsea in consecutive seasons. Initially, it looked as though the Cape Verde international would become an integral part of Paulo di Canio's side. Having impressed in pre-season, he was handed a Premier League debut on the opening game of the season. Cabral himself looked a useful player, despite his side falling to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Fulham. Since that opening day, the midfielder suffered a fall from grace quicker than his side slipped to the foot of the table. Supposedly as a result of a terrible attitude to training, he has played one game since (in the Capital One Cup against League One side MK Dons) and has not featured at all under Gus Poyet. Cabral was eventually farmed out on loan to Serie A side Genoa in the January window, making his debut in a 4-0 reverse to Roma.