Sunderland ready to wait for Geny Catamo transfer from Sporting

Sunderland are prepared to wait until the final week of the transfer window in their pursuit of Sporting Club de Portugal winger Geny Catamo. The Premier League club have offered €33 million plus a further €7m in performance-related payments, but Sporting remain unconvinced by the structure of the proposal.

Sunderland have been working on the deal for several weeks and increased their efforts during the week. They remain committed to signing the 25-year-old Mozambique international, despite Sporting’s resistance and their preference for a larger guaranteed payment.

Sporting want at least €40m in fixed fees for Catamo. The Portuguese club are also reluctant to sell late in the window because they would have limited time to find a suitable replacement. Their position is that keeping the winger is preferable, even if Sunderland move closer to their valuation.

Catamo is understood to be open to the transfer. He wants to play in the Premier League, while Sunderland have offered a contract worth €15m over four years, with an option for an additional season. The proposed package would pay him €3m per year, considerably more than he earns at Sporting.

The gap between the player’s position and Sporting’s stance is therefore central to the negotiations. Sunderland have reportedly had little difficulty persuading Catamo, but the Portuguese club are not keen to facilitate the move and may reject an offer even if it reaches €40m, particularly if much of the value depends on bonuses.

Sunderland’s approach reflects their wider transfer strategy this summer. They have completed only one signing and manager Regis Le Bris has stressed that the club are remaining organised and patient in a difficult market. The club believe inflated fees elsewhere have made negotiations harder, and that the Catamo discussions may continue into the closing week of the window.