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Sunderland’s pursuit of Geny Catamo has received public backing from an influential voice in the winger’s career. This comes despite Sporting making it clear they do not want to sell. As we covered, the Black Cats were revealed by Portuguese newspaper A Bola on Tuesday as having explored a move for the Mozambique international. However, they were told Sporting had no intention of negotiating his departure. Now, Mozambique manager Chiquinho Conde has openly argued the 25-year-old should be allowed to take the next step. “It’s all about timing” Chiquinho Conde, who also represented Sporting during his playing days, admitted he believes the current situation will inevitably affect Geny Catamo. This is especially true after Sunderland’s interest became public. “He also wants to take this opportunity because football is all about timing, and this will affect him mentally,” Conde told Antena 1, with O Jogo relaying his comments. “I honestly think Sporting, sooner or later, will have to let him leave, if it also benefits the club’s structure. Of course I imagine he’s going through a period of great anxiety. I also think it’s time for him to prove himself in another league.” Sunderland may not be finished Geny Catamo has been one of Sporting’s most reliable performers over the past two seasons. This explains why the Portuguese champions quickly shut down Sunderland’s initial approach. | League 2025/26 | | | | | |---|---|---|---|---| | Appearances | 29 | | | | | Started | 24 | | | | | Minutes per game | 68 | | | | | Total minutes played | 1963 | | | | | Goals | 6 | | | | | Assists | 2 | | | | Even so, Conde believes the player has already given plenty to the Lisbon club. “I think it’s the ideal time for him to leave. As national team coach, I’d be grateful because we’d have a player with extra motivation, and the national team would benefit enormously from that move from a sporting perspective.” Whether Sunderland return with a formal offer remains to be seen. Sporting’s stance is firm for now, but the debate around Catamo’s future is clearly growing, and the player’s own feelings could become a bigger factor if interest from England persists.