Soccer-Fiorentina sign Diakete on loan from Sunderland

Jan 31 (Reuters) - Sunderland's defender Modibo Diakite has returned to Italy and joined Fiorentina on loan until the end of the season, the Premier League club confirmed on Friday. The 26 year-old Frenchman had made only eight appearances since signing from Lazio last June. He was one of several new players brought in last summer by Paolo di Canio, who was subsequently sacked as manager only six games into the new season. (Reporting by Steve Tongue)