Sunderland have been heavily linked with a move for Sporting CP attacker Geny Catamo of late.
It is becoming increasingly likely that Sunderland target Geny Catamo will remain at Sporting CP this summer, according to reports on the continent.
The winger has been heavily linked with a prospective switch to the Stadium of Light in recent weeks, with the Black Cats keen to bolster their attacking ranks between now and next Tuesday’s transfer deadline. Their efforts to prise Catamo away from his current employers have so far come up short, however, and as per Portuguese outlet A Bola, “Sporting can begin to feel more secure regarding the situation”.
In a fresh update on Thursday, the publication suggested that Sunderland have failed to meet Sporting’s asking price for the player - understood to be around €40 million [£34.3 million] - and as such, “everything currently points to the Mozambique international remaining at the club”.
The report goes on to state that Catamo is considered “fundamental” to head coach Rui Borges’ plans, while also detailing the nature of Sunderland’s failed bids for the attacker thus far. According to A Bola’s information, Sporting received an initial offer of €30 million plus €10 million in performance-related bonuses, which was soundly rejected. Another offer, with a higher base value that still fell short of Sporting’s asking price, has also been deemed too low. As such, it is stated that “unless there is a last-minute surprise or new suitors on the scene”, Catamo’s continued stay in Lisbon is “becoming the likely scenario”.
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For his part, it has been suggested that Catamo himself would be open to the prospect of joining Sunderland, with former Mozambique boss Luis Gonçalves telling Noticias ao Minuto: “I believe that, given the opportunity, Geny would like to take the leap and would like to play in England and for Sunderland.
“I have no doubt that, if Geny moves to the Premier League, he will be able to establish himself, despite it being a much more demanding league physically and also due to the intensity of the game. The question that always arises is whether they have a replacement at the time. I believe that Sporting's scouting department is working towards that, in coordination with the technical team, led by Rui Borges, and also with the president.”
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