Sunderland Ready To Skyrocket Salary Of Target | OneFootball

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Sunderland are ready to offer Geny Catamo a salary five times higher than his current earnings at Sporting Lisbon to lure him to the Stadium of Light.

The Black Cats have been locked in discussions with the Lions since earlier this month as they attempt to prise the winger away from Portugal.

The move was always expected to be difficult, with Sporting Lisbon maintaining that Catamo’s €60m release clause represents the only straightforward route to securing his departure.

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Sunderland’s opening proposal was swiftly rebuffed, but that response has done little to derail their pursuit, with dialogue continuing as they attempt to bridge the gap.

The Black Cats’ offer consisted of €30m plus €10m in performance-related bonuses, while Sporting Lisbon would also retain a 10 per cent sell-on clause on any future transfer, leaving the proposal well short of what would persuade the Portuguese outfit to reconsider their stance.

The Lions are understood to want Sunderland to go into the €40m fixed bracket before they seriously entertain negotiations and even that figure would leave them reluctant to part with the winger.

The Wearside outfit are now shaping another proposal, which is expected ‘this week’ as they look to give Sporting Lisbon a fresh decision to make.

To strengthen their hand with Catamo and make the move more enticing, Sunderland are prepared to offer the winger a salary ‘five times higher’, according to Portuguese sports daily A Bola.

The Mozambique international currently earns €600,000 per year, meaning a move to the Stadium of Light would elevate his annual earnings to €3m.

The Wearside outfit’s offer would be an ‘irresistible sum’ for Catamo to join Regis Le Bris’ project and embark on a fresh chapter in England.

Persuading Catamo is not expected to represent the decisive hurdle, leaving Sunderland with the more pressing task of finding terms that can bring the Lions to the negotiating table.