Newcastle Eyeing Sporting Winger Catamo Ahead of January Window

Newcastle United are already looking ahead to January, and Sporting CP winger Geny Catamo has become one of their latest targets.

The club spent the summer focused on bringing in younger players with potential to grow, but their recruitment team hasn't stopped working. According to TEAMtalk's Graeme Bailey, Newcastle have been keeping tabs on the 25 year old and have ramped up their scouting on him in recent weeks with January in mind.

"Newcastle United, Brentford, Nottingham Forest and Brighton are among the clubs to have checked on Catamo, while Aston Villa have also continued to monitor his situation," Bailey reported.

Catamo has done his stock no harm either. He's started the season well, chipping in with two goals and three assists in his first seven appearances.

This isn't a new interest for Newcastle. Bailey says a number of clubs, Newcastle included, reached out to Catamo's camp over the summer and have kept an eye on him ever since. The bigger issue is Sporting's stance on any deal.

Sunderland were the club most determined to sign him during the summer window, but they couldn't get Sporting to budge. The Portuguese club made clear that any buyer would need to pay Catamo's full release clause of €60 million, around £51 million, and Sunderland weren't willing to go that high.

Sunderland haven't given up, but they're now facing competition from Newcastle, Brentford, Forest, Brighton and Villa, all circling as Premier League options. One thing that could work in the favor of any of those clubs is that Catamo himself seems keen on a move to England.

"We understand Catamo is more than open to the possibility of moving to the Premier League, with the winger attracted by the prospect of testing himself in England," Bailey said.

So far there's no sign Newcastle have made a move or opened talks with Sporting. Whether Sporting are willing to lower their €60 million asking price in January will likely decide just how serious this race actually becomes.