ITALIAN striker Fabio Borini is being tipped to link up with Brendan Rodgers for a FOURTH time.
The Sunderland frontman has played for the Celtic manager at Chelsea, Swansea and Liverpool and is now being linked for a season-long loan at Parkhead.
Borini first caught up with the Irishman at Stamford Bridge in July 2007 when Rodgers was youth team coach while Jose Mourinho was in charge.
The attacker was only 16 years old when arrived from Serie A outfit Bologna and was placed in the reserves for experience.
Rodgers was impressed by the progress of the youngster and one of his most outstanding performances came in a second string match against West Brom when he rattled in five goals as the London side came from 3-0 down to win 5-4.
However, Borini struggled to make the breakthrough under Mourinho and made only four first team appearances without scoring a goal before Rodgers, who had quit to take over at Swansea in 2010, brought him to the Welsh club in March the following year until the end of the season.
He starred alongside new Bhoy Scott Sinclair, who claimed a hat-trick, as the Swans beat Reading 4-2 in the Championship play-off final at Wembley to propel them into the top flight.
The pacy raider also repaid his manager’s faith by scoring six crucial goals in nine league appearances as the team fought to secure a place among the promotion hopefuls.
However, Rodgers’ hopes of making the deal permanent were scuppered when it was revealed Borini had already signed a pre-contract agreement with Parma.
Immediately, he was loaned to Roma who agreed an initial £1million fee with the option to buy the player outright for around £6million.
Rodgers, though, would not be denied and Borini became his first signing for Liverpool when the Anfield side shelled out £10.5million for his striking services in July 2012.
The former Under-21 star failed to make the expected impact on Merseyside and scored only twice in 20 appearances in his initial campaign.
Rodgers allowed him to move to Sunderland for the 2013/14 season and he netted seven times in 32 league outings, but knocked back a permanent move to the Wearsiders to try again at Liverpool.
Injuries hampered his progress and he was persuaded to join the Stadium of Light club a year ago with the Reds accepting an offer of £8million
from Dick Advocaat before he was replaced by Sam Allardyce in October.
Now new Stadium of Light gaffer Davie Moyes, who took over from England-bound Allardyce last month, could be persuaded to allow Borini to hook up again with Rodgers in Glasgow.
The Celtic boss is looking to add to his attack after allowing Anthony Stokes, Stefan Scepovic, Carlton Cole and Colin Kazim-Richards to leave the club in the summer.
Meanwhile to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Celtic’s greatest ever season CQN this week publishes TEN MONTHS OF CELTIC HEAVEN – THAT SEASON IN PARADISE. You will love it. Copies shipped from Friday this week only from www.cqnbookstore.com
