Igor Paixão has looked back on Sunderland’s attempt to sign him and made it clear a move to the Premier League remains part of his plans.
The Black Cats pushed hard for the Marseille winger towards the end of the summer window. At one stage, they offered a package worth up to €40m (£34.6m).
Nothing happened in the end, and Paixão has now explained his side of what was a pretty hectic few days.
“It was a bit intense”
Speaking to Band in Brazil, the 26-year-old was asked about his future and the interest he received during the last window.
He described that period as “a bit intense”, with Marseille putting players up for sale because of their difficult situation.
“This window was a bit intense, when the club put everyone up for sale,” Paixão said.
“I didn’t really want to leave, I don’t want to leave. I also chose to stay to help my team. We couldn’t sign players, so there wouldn’t have been anyone to replace me.”
Reports towards the end of August had suggested Paixão was open to the move. As we covered at the time, he had verbally agreed a five-year contract with Sunderland.
The Premier League club eventually offered €31m (£26.8m) plus €9m (£7.8m) in bonuses. Marseille never gave them the green light, though, and Paixão ultimately stayed in France.
His comments now suggest he was also happy with that outcome, particularly given Marseille’s inability to replace him.
| Every Sunderland signing 26/27 | Previous Club | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Malick Fofana | Lyon | £26m |
| Dayann Méthalie | Toulouse | £24m |
| Jules Ahoka | Royal Antwerp | £8.6m |
| Juan Riquelme Angulo | Independiente del Valle | £5m |
| Kevin Danso | Tottenham Hotspur | Loan |
| Thomas Meunier | Lille | Free Transfer |
Premier League move still in his plans
That doesn’t mean Sunderland were chasing a player with no interest in English football. Quite the opposite.
Paixão openly admits the Premier League is one of his career ambitions. He is already thinking about putting himself in position to make that move further down the line.
“It’s also a dream to play in the Premier League,” he said.
“We’re going to have a good season so that next time other clubs can come in, and then we can see about taking a bigger step. Of course, it has to be good for me and for the club.”
Sunderland therefore missed out in August, but their interest was certainly aimed in the right direction as far as Paixão’s longer-term ambitions are concerned.
For now, he wants to stay and help Marseille. After that, his goal is to perform well enough to get another Premier League opportunity and then see whether the numbers work for everyone.
