Lokomotiv Moscow will not sign on loan midfielder Joao Mario on a permanent basis according to a report from Russian news outlet Sport Express editor in chief Dmitry Simonov, as per Italian news outlet FCInterNews.it.
Earlier on today Lokomotiv Moscow president Anatoly Meshcheryakov claimed that the Russian Premier League club could not afford to sign both Joao Mario and Grzegorz Krychowiak but Simonov has claimed that he knows Joao Mario will not be signed permanently.
The Portuguese midfielder joined the Russian capital city based outfit on a season long loan this past Summer with an €18 million option to buy attached but going by Simonov’s words, the former Sporting CP will return to Inter in the coming months.
“I know for sure that Joao Mario will not be bought, and Maciej Rybus will also leave. The club is looking for a left back and an attacker. The arrival of Milan Badelj is likely,” he explained.
Whilst out on loan at Lokomotiv Moscow, the 27-year-old has made 15 appearances across all competitions to date, in which he has scored one goal and tallied a total of four assists for his teammates.
