Sunderland Pursues Jack Grealish Loan from Manchester City

Sunderland are making a late move to prise Jack Grealish from Manchester City, with a loan deal at the heart of their plans but a permanent switch not ruled out.

The Black Cats want the 30-year-old winger to spearhead a rebuild in the wide areas as he enters the final year of his City contract. A temporary deal is understood to be the preferred route, yet the club are actively exploring whether they can structure a full transfer if the opportunity opens up.

Grealish spent last season on loan at Everton, where he did enough to keep the Merseyside club interested. They remain in the frame, but Sunderland are pushing hard as the window ticks down.

City’s selection squeeze out wide

Timing may be Sunderland’s biggest obstacle. Enzo Maresca is suddenly light in the wide forward positions.

City have agreed to sell Savio and Omar Marmoush to Tottenham. Savio has already completed his move, while Marmoush is close to finalising his. Jeremy Doku has then picked up a short-term calf injury, sidelining him for around two to three weeks.

That leaves Maresca, for now, with only Antoine Semenyo and Grealish as recognised senior wingers. Phil Foden and Rayan Cherki can play wide, but both are more naturally used through the middle.

Grealish has started the season on the fringes. He came off the bench in the Community Shield defeat to Arsenal and again in the Premier League opener against Bournemouth, underlining his current role as a rotation option rather than a guaranteed starter.

City are already moving to reshape their attack. They are set to bring in 22-year-old Brazilian Allan from Palmeiras as a replacement for Savio, though that deal is not yet complete. Cody Gakpo at Liverpool is also on their radar as they consider further attacking reinforcements.

Until those arrivals are confirmed, City must decide how far they can afford to trim their wide options. That calculation will go a long way to determining whether Sunderland get their man.

Paixao, Catamo and a clear Sunderland blueprint

Grealish is not the only winger on Sunderland’s list.

Regis Le Bris’ side are also in talks with Marseille over Brazilian wide man Igor Paixao. Sunderland have already submitted a bid this week, stepping up their interest in a player Leeds tried to sign last summer before he chose France.

Marseille need to raise funds, and discussions are ongoing, which gives Sunderland encouragement as they chase multiple wide targets. The message from the Stadium of Light is clear: a winger is the priority.

Talks have also dragged on with Sporting Lisbon over Mozambique international Geny Catamo. He carries a £51.4m release clause, a figure that underlines why negotiations have been complex and prolonged.

Busy summer on Wearside

Sunderland’s pursuit of Grealish and Paixao comes at the end of an already active window.

Incoming deals:

Dayann Methalie from Toulouse for £25.7m
Jules Ahoka from Royal Antwerp for £8m
Thomas Meunier from Lille on a free transfer
Ethan Berry from Crystal Palace on a free
Adam Nelson from Glentoran on a free

Departures:

Eleizer Mayenda to Rennes for £22m
Anthony Patterson to Wrexham for £10m
Ahmed Abdullahi to Eyupspor, undisclosed
Harrison Jones to Peterborough, undisclosed
Zak Johnson to York, undisclosed
Nazariy Rusyn to Karpaty Lviv, undisclosed
Timothee Pembele to Le Havre, undisclosed
Dennis Cirkin to QPR on a free
Oliver Bainbridge to Boreham Wood on a free
Tom Lavery to Gateshead on a free
Dan Neil to Rangers on a free
Rhys Walsh to Glentoran on a free
Milan Aleksic to Partizan Belgrade on loan
Matty Young to Huddersfield on loan
Bertrand Traore released
Niall Huggins released

With the squad reshaped and the flanks still crying out for star power, Sunderland’s late-window gamble is clear. If City open the door, does Jack Grealish become the statement signing that changes the feel of their season?