Sunderland are refusing to give up on Geny Catamo and could now take their pursuit much closer to his €60m (£52m) release clause.
That’s according to today’s edition of Portuguese newspaper A Bola. They say Sporting are starting to fear a major Sunderland offensive before the window closes.
The Black Cats have already seen approaches rejected for the 25-year-old. We previously covered that a €30m (£26m) plus €10m (£8.7m) package was turned down.
So there has now been movement beyond those figures.
Sunderland indicate willingness to reach €40m
Geny Catamo remains high on Sunderland’s list, and A Bola says informal contacts between the clubs have continued.
During those conversations, Sunderland have indicated they are prepared to put €40m (£34.7m) on the table.
Sporting still have almost no desire to sell. However, there is now concern at Alvalade about how far the Premier League club could go.
A Bola says Sporting fear Sunderland may raise their offer towards Catamo’s €60m (£52m) clause.
An approach around that level would be “difficult to resist”, particularly given the enormous profit Sporting would make. They invested less than €4m (£3.5m) to secure his rights from Amora and Black Bulls.
The timing creates another problem for the Portuguese club. Sporting’s recruitment department already have potential replacements identified. A late sale would leave them very little time to negotiate a deal and integrate a new arrival.
Catamo open to Sunderland move
Geny Catamo also continues to look positively at the possibility of playing in the Premier League. A Bola makes clear, however, that he does not intend to force his way out of Sporting… Even if he was not happy that they rejected Sunderland’s first approach.
The Mozambique international feels considerable gratitude towards the Lisbon club. He also received a significant pay rise when renewing his contract until 2029 in February.
Sunderland can comfortably offer considerably higher wages, according to the newspaper. The Black Cats also have specific sporting reasons for continuing their pursuit.
Those working on the deal believe Catamo would bring maturity to Régis Le Bris’ squad. His versatility is another major attraction.
Sunderland believe he can operate as a winger, right-back or midfielder and across different systems. A Bola says that could potentially save them from having to invest in several separate additions.
There is still considerable distance between Sporting’s reluctance to sell and Sunderland getting their man.
What has changed is the concern in Lisbon. Sporting now appear to be preparing for the possibility Sunderland test that resistance with much bigger money before the September 4th deadline.
