Why Sunderland must smash their transfer record to sign Enzo Le Fee 2.0

Sunderland kick off their 2026/27 Premier League campaign with a trip down south to take on newly-promoted Ipswich Town at Portman Road on Saturday.

The Tractor Boys are in the same position that the Black Cats found themselves in last year. They are new to the division and looking to make their mark in the top-flight.

Regis Le Bris‘ side took the league by storm in their first year back in the Premier League, finishing seventh to qualify for this season’s edition of the Europa League.

The club have yet to add reinforcements to their attack after confirming a minimum eight-game European tour, as Dayann Methalie closes in on becoming the second full-back to be brought in.

The position Sunderland most need to strengthen in

Sunderland have to add a new right winger to their squad before the end of the summer transfer window, after their struggles in that position during the 2025/26 campaign.

For all of the positives from the club’s season, a return of 42 goals in 38 Premier League matches shows that they need to add more quality to their options at the top end of the pitch.

Enzo Le Fee was their most impressive attacking midfielder or wide player with a return of six goals and six assists in all competitions from the number ten position, proving that he can be relied upon to provide quality in the top-flight.

Meanwhile, none of Sunderland’s out-and-out wingers scored more than four goals or provided more than one assist in the division, with Chemsdine Talbi scoring four goals and providing one assist.

The Morocco international scored three of his four goals whilst playing on the left flank, emphasising the need for a player who can be effective in front of goal on the opposite flank.

Sunderland eyeing winger with shades of Enzo Le Fee

Le Bris could end up getting the right winger that his squad needs amid a pursuit to bring a star who has shades of Le Fee to the Stadium of Light.

According to Portuguese outlet A Bola, Sunderland remain in talks with Sporting over a deal to sign Geny Catamo before the end of the summer transfer window.

The report claims that the Black Cats have already seen offers of up to £34m turned down by the Liga Portugal giants, but they are still pressing to reach an agreement.

It adds that Sporting fear that the Premier League side will make a bid of close to his £51m release clause, which would smash the club’s £27m club-record deal for Habib Diarra and the incoming addition of Methalie for almost £30m.

REUTERS/Pedro Nunes

The 25-year-old talent would be an intriguing addition to the squad because he would offer a different profile to what Le Bris currently has in the right wing position.

He is a left-footed star who could cut in on his favoured foot from the right, unlike the right-footed Talbi, whilst his performances last season also suggest that he can offer a Le Fee-esque threat in the final third.

The Mozambique international racked up 12 goals and ‘big chances’ created combined at league level in the 2025/26 campaign, more than any Sunderland player not named Le Fee managed in the Premier League.

An xA of 3.92 and six ‘big chances’ created also suggest that he deserved to have more than two assists to his name, as his teammates failed to make the most of his creativity.

However, the start of the current campaign has made up for that as he has registered two assists in the first two matches of the league season for Sporting.

The £51m-rated right winger is similar to Le Fee in the sense that he can provide a threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals, as evidenced by a return of eight goals and nine ‘big chances’ created in all competitions last season for his side.

REUTERS/Pedro Nunes

Catamo, who also scored one goal in the Champions League, also scored seven goals and created nine ‘big chances’ for Sporting in the 2024/25 campaign, which shows that his form last term was not just a flash in the pan.

The Sunderland target has proven that he can score goals and create high-quality chances on a fairly consistent basis from the right flank, which suggests that he could be the Le Fee-level attacking talent that Le Bris lacked in that position last season.