Sporting Lisbon have completed the signing of Sunderland defender Sebastian Coates on a six-month loan deal.
The Uruguayan only joined the Black Cats on a permanent basis in the summer from Liverpool.
However, following the recent arrivals of Jan Kirchhoff and Lamine Kone, Coates has been deemed surplus to requirements at the Stadium of Light by manager Sam Allardyce.
Sporting have the option to purchase the 25-year-old at the end of the season.