Sunderland are actively investigating the possibility of securing Manchester City winger Jack Grealish in the closing stages of the transfer window. The Black Cats have expressed a strong interest in arranging a loan move for the 30‑year‑old, who is now entering the final year of his contract with the Sky Blues.
While a temporary deal is currently at the forefront of their strategy, the club is also weighing the option of a permanent transfer should the circumstances allow, as they aim to bolster their options on the flanks. The pursuit of Grealish is part of a broader recruitment drive that also sees Sunderland targeting Brazilian forward Igor Paixão from Olympique de Marseille. The club’s hierarchy believes that adding quality wide players will add much‑needed depth and creativity to a squad that has struggled to consistently threaten opposition defenses from the wings. Grealish spent the previous season on loan at Everton, where he made a noticeable impact and attracted continued interest from the Merseyside side.
Despite his loan spell ending, Everton remain keen to keep tabs on the player, but Sunderland appear determined to outbid any competition and secure his services. In recent weeks, Grealish has featured sporadically for Manchester City, most notably as a substitute in the Community Shield loss to Arsenal and in the Premier League opener against Bournemouth. His limited game time this season has been partly due to the emergence of other attacking options at the Etihad and the club’s recent decision to move on from two of its wide‑forward assets.
Manchester City have agreed to sell Savio and Omar Marmoush to Tottenham Hotspur. Savio’s transfer has already been completed, and Marmoush is in the final stages of his move. The departure of these two players has left City with a reduced pool of natural wingers, a situation that has been further compounded by a short‑term calf injury to Jeremy Doku, which is expected to keep him sidelined for two to three weeks. To address the shortage, City are preparing to sign 22‑year‑old Brazilian forward Allan from Palmeiras, although his paperwork has not yet been finalized.
They are also monitoring Cody Gakpo at Liverpool as a potential addition to their attacking ranks. As it stands, Enzo Maresca’s side currently rely on Antoine Semenyo and Jack Grealish as their only senior, out‑and‑out wide players, while versatile talents such as Phil Foden and Rayan Cherki are more frequently deployed in central roles. Sunderland’s interest in Igor Paixão has been confirmed by manager Regis Le Bris, who submitted a bid for the Brazilian earlier this week. Paixão had previously been linked with Leeds United last summer, but ultimately chose to sign for Marseille.
Sunderland’s pursuit continues as Marseille look to raise funds, and the English club’s top priority remains the acquisition of a quality winger to complement their attacking setup. In addition to Grealish and Paixão, Sunderland have also been in prolonged negotiations with Sporting Lisbon over Mozambique winger Geny Catamo, who carries a release clause of £51.4 million at the Portuguese side. The club’s scouting network has identified several other potential targets across Europe, ranging from promising youngsters to experienced free agents, as reflected in the extensive list of names and associated fees that have been circulated among the club’s recruitment staff. Among the notable names on Sunderland’s radar are: - Dayann Methalie (Toulouse) – £25.7 million - Jules Ahoka (Royal Antwerp) – £8 million - Thomas Meunier (Lille) – free transfer - Ethan Berry (Crystal Palace) – free transfer - Adam Nelson (Glentoran) – free transfer - Eleizer Mayenda (Rennes) – £22 million - Anthony Patterson (Wrexham) – £10 million - 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 signings illustrate Sunderland’s comprehensive approach to rebuilding their squad, blending experienced professionals with younger talents who can develop under the guidance of Maresca’s coaching staff.
The club’s strategy emphasizes depth in the wide areas, a need highlighted by recent performances where a lack of width has limited their attacking potency. While the transfer window draws to a close, Sunderland’s negotiations remain active on multiple fronts. The club is balancing immediate needs—such as securing a proven Premier League winger in Grealish—with longer‑term projects, including the acquisition of promising prospects like Paixão and Catamo.
Should the deals materialize, Sunderland could see a significant upgrade to their offensive options, providing manager Regis Le Bris with greater tactical flexibility and a stronger platform to compete for promotion. Fans are encouraged to stay tuned to the club’s official channels for the latest updates, as each day brings new developments in the race to finalize contracts and complete medicals. In the meantime, Sunderland continue to monitor the situation at Manchester City closely, hoping that the combination of loan and permanent options will give them the best chance to secure Jack Grealish before the deadline. For those following the transfer saga, the club’s official app offers real‑time alerts and a live feed of the latest headlines, ensuring supporters never miss a beat as the market activity unfolds.