At the beginning of the season, Geny Catamo had a market value of just 600 thousand euros - less, even, than when he was on loan from Sporting. While he was on loan to Vitória SC and Marítimo, between January 2022 and the summer of 2023, Catamo's value did not exceed 800 thousand euros, having dropped to 600 thousand after an unsuccessful loan in Madeira.

Rúben Amorim's bet and the increasing regularity in the coach's choices, even playing in Europa League matches, led him to reach the market value of eight million euros, according to Transfermarkt, in the most recent update, on March 8th.  

It is not, it should be noted, even close to the highest market value of the squad (11th), as players such as Viktor Gyokeres, valued at 55 million euros, Ousmane Diomande and Gonçalo Inácio are listed at 40 million. 

However, this appreciation draws attention because it represents a 13-fold increase in the value with which the player started the season. In addition, it is also noteworthy that Catamo is the second most valuable Mozambican footballer, having arrived in Portugal only in 2019. Only Reinildo, from Atlético Madrid, has a higher value. 

Geny Catamo's humble origins, with Amora as the gateway

Pedro Russiano, Geny's former coach at Amora, recalled the young Mozambican's arrival at the club to the national press, in an interview with Rádio Renascença. "Geny played for Black Bulls, a team from Mozambique, in which my investor in Amora, Zuneid Sidat, was also an investor. Geny came to try out at FC Porto, but he didn't stay. The kid was going to stay in Amora until he caught his flight back to Mozambique," he began by explaining. 

He stayed in Amora for some time, training with the club's youth team. "During that time he trained, I saw qualities in him that were above average. I told the investor to keep the kid here," and he did. From then on, Catamo impressed even more and arrived at Sporting, first on loan, then permanently. 

During that season in which he played on loan, he scored nine goals in 25 games for Sporting's youth team. He followed the path to the B team, reached the I League through Vitória SC and Marítimo, but without impressing. 2023/24 was the winger's breakout season, now adapted to the right wing by Rúben Amorim. And the boy from Maputo may well have decided a national championship. 

This season he has 35 games played, six goals scored and five assists, with the highlight being the brace against Benfica, in the last game of the championship. At 23 years old, Geny seeks to establish himself at Sporting and continue on the path to success. 

Leia Também: Do "sonho" do FC Porto ao estrelato no Sporting: "Geny Catamo sofreu" (Portuguese version)

Leia Também: Geny Catamo, jogador do Sporting, revela que vai ser pai