Sunderland will wait to decide on Mavrias after Panathinaikos loan move but Cabral is out

Mavrias, along with midfielder Cabral, were the only members of the Sunderland first-team squad in or out of the Stadium of Light on transfer deadline day yesterday.

Winger Mavrias re-joined former club Panathinaikos on loan until the end of the season, while flop midfielder Cabral was released from his Sunderland contract.

As SportMail reported on Saturday, Mavrias had opted to re-join Panathinaikos – who sold him to Sunderland for £2million 18 months ago – despite being watched by scouts from Celtic, along with three Championship clubs.

Fellow Greek side PAOK had also made a loan bid for Mavrias – understood to have been a more lucrative offer in terms of wages - but the 20-year-old wanted to join his old club.

However, it is understood that Mavrias’ move is a straightforward loan, with no clause agreed to make the deal permanent at the end of the season.

Panathinaikos are operating on a limited budget and there were serious doubts over whether they could even afford Mavrias’ wages during their pursuit over recent months, let alone a permanent fee.

Sources in Greece have indicated that Panathinaikos are likely to attempt to sign Mavrias on a season-long loan next summer, which would take him through to the end of his Sunderland contract.

Meanwhile, Sunderland agreed to mutually terminate the remaining 18 months of Cabral’s contract.

The Cats have desperately been trying to shift Cabral for more than a year. But with no-one coming in for him for the second transfer window in a row, both club and player decided to part company.

Cabral was signed on a three-year deal by former director of football Roberto Di Fanti in the summer of 2013.

But after making two appearances at the start of that season under Paolo Di Canio, Cabral never played for the first-team again.

Cabral went on loan to Italian side Genoa last January, but didn’t do enough to earn a permanent switch and returned to Sunderland, where he has been an unused substitute on two occasions this season.