Sunderland are currently weighing the possibility of securing a late‑season agreement for Manchester City winger Jack Grealish. The Black Cats have expressed a strong preference for arranging a loan deal for the 30‑year‑old, who is now entering the final year of his contract with the Citizens.
Yet, the club’s scouting department is also entertaining the idea of a permanent transfer, should the financial terms prove favourable, as part of a broader strategy to bolster the squad’s width and attacking options. The interest in Grealish comes at a time when Sunderland are also pursuing a move for Brazilian forward Igor Paixão, who is currently plying his trade at Olympique de Marseille. The club’s hierarchy believes that adding a player of Grealish's experience, combined with the flair of Paixão, could dramatically improve their ability to create chances from the flanks.
Grealish spent the previous campaign on loan at Everton, where he impressed enough to keep the Merseyside side interested in a permanent switch. During his stint at Everton, Grealish was utilised primarily as an impact sub, a role that allowed him to showcase his dribbling, vision and ability to unlock defences with incisive passes. Everton’s continued curiosity indicates that Sunderland will face competition if they attempt to secure his services. In recent weeks, Grealish has featured sparingly for Manchester City.
He made a brief appearance as a substitute in City’s Community Shield loss to Arsenal and was again used off the bench in the Premier League opener against Bournemouth. These limited minutes reflect the depth of talent City possess on the wings, a situation that has been further complicated by recent squad changes. Manchester City have recently off‑loaded two wide players – Savio and Omar Marmoush – to Tottenham Hotspur.
Savio’s transfer has already been completed, while Marmoush’s move is still being finalised. The departure of these two options has left Pep Guardiola’s side with a thinner selection pool for wide attacking roles. Adding to the challenge, Jeremy Doku has suffered a short‑term calf injury that is expected to keep him sidelined for two to three weeks, further depleting City’s options on the flanks. To address these gaps, City are poised to sign 22‑year‑old Brazilian forward Allan from Palmeiras.
Allan is viewed as a direct replacement for Savio, but his paperwork has yet to be finalised. Additionally, City have been linked with a potential move for Liverpool’s Dutch striker Cody Gakpo, signalling that the club is actively seeking to reinforce its attacking depth. At present, Enzo Maresca’s side list only a handful of senior, natural‑wide players: Antoine Semenyo and Jack Grealish.
While Phil Foden and Rayan Cherki have occasionally been deployed on the wings, both are more commonly used in central attacking positions, meaning that true specialist wide options remain scarce. Turning back to Sunderland, the club’s pursuit of Igor Paixão has intensified. Regís Le Bris’ management team have shown firm interest and submitted a bid for the Brazilian earlier this week.
Paixão was previously targeted by Leeds United last summer, but he ultimately chose to join Marseille. Sunderland’s representatives continue negotiations, aware that Marseille are eager to raise funds and that securing a quality winger is a top priority for the English side. Beyond Grealish and Paixão, Sunderland have also been in prolonged discussions with Sporting Lisbon regarding Mozambican winger Geny Catamo.
Catamo’s release clause at the Portuguese club stands at a substantial £51.4 million, indicating Sunderland would need to secure significant backing to meet that valuation. The Black Cats have also compiled a list of additional targets across various leagues, ranging from promising youngsters to experienced free agents. Some of the names and associated details include: - Dayann Methalie (Toulouse) – £25.7m - Jules Ahoka (Royal Antwerp) – £8m - Thomas Meunier (Lille) – free transfer - Ethan Berry (Crystal Palace) – free transfer - Adam Nelson (Glentoran) – free transfer - Eleizer Mayenda (Rennes) – £22m - Anthony Patterson (Wrexham) – £10m - Ahmed Abdullahi (Eyupspor) – undisclosed fee - Harrison Jones (Peterborough) – undisclosed fee - Zak Johnson (York) – undisclosed fee - Nazariy Rusyn (Karpaty Lviv) – undisclosed fee - Timothée Pembele (Le Havre) – undisclosed fee - Dennis Cirkin (QPR) – free transfer - Oliver Bainbridge (Boreham Wood) – free transfer - Tom Lavery (Gateshead) – free transfer - Dan Neil (Rangers) – free transfer - Rhys Walsh (Glentoran) – free transfer - Milan Aleksic (Partizan Belgrade) – loan deal - Matty Young (Huddersfield) – loan deal - Bertrand Traoré – released - Niall Huggins – released These potential acquisitions illustrate Sunderland’s comprehensive approach to rebuilding their squad, blending seasoned professionals with emerging talents to create a balanced roster capable of competing at a higher level.
In summary, Sunderland’s transfer agenda is bustling with activity. The club is actively pursuing Jack Grealish, either on loan or through a full‑time purchase, while also targeting Igor Paixão and other players across Europe.
Manchester City, meanwhile, are grappling with a reduced pool of wide‑area options following recent departures and injuries, prompting them to chase new signings like Allan and possibly Cody Gakpo. Everton’s lingering interest in Grealish adds another layer of competition, making the upcoming weeks crucial for all parties involved as they negotiate deals that could shape the remainder of the season and beyond.