José Fonte's bosses try for Sporting starter, get huge snub | OneFootball

Sporting rejected an offer from Sunderland for Geny Catamo and, at this stage, there are no longer any negotiations between the two clubs. The Mozambique international is being protected by Sporting’s SAD after Rui Borges deemed him indispensable for the new season.

According to Record, the Premier League side — where José Fonte is part of Régis Le Bris’ coaching staff — likes the winger’s characteristics and even made a formal move to sign him. The offer, however, was turned down by the green-and-white officials, who do not want to lose another key piece from the attacking sector.

Geny is seen by the coaching staff as a player capable of taking on greater responsibility, especially after the departures of Francisco Trincão and the likely transfer of Pedro Gonçalves. Rui Borges also values the number 10’s ability to decide important matches and his willingness to drop back and form a five-man defensive line.

The 25-year-old player is under contract with Sporting until June 2029 and has a release clause set at €60 million. The club’s hierarchy is aligned with the coach, and only an offer of very high value could change the intention of keeping the footballer at Alvalade.

With the departure of several key figures, Geny Catamo has also taken on greater importance in the dressing room. The Mozambican is the fourth player in the current squad with the most appearances for Sporting, with 137 matches, behind only Gonçalo Inácio, Nuno Santos and Daniel Bragança.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.