Inter midfielder Joao Mario is on the verge of sealing a permanent return to Portuguese champions Sporting CP after spending the season on loan.
As reported in today’s newspaper edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Lisbon club have agreed terms with Joao Mario and he is ready to pen a three-year contract worth €2.4 million per season.
Whilst Sporting are yet to reach an agreement for a transfer fee with Inter, a deal is thought to be close and the Nerazzurri are ready to sign off on an €8m sale, bringing his five-year association with the club to an end.
Coupled with the expected departure of Achraf Hakimi to Paris Saint-Germain, Inter are likely to raise €75-80m over the coming days, including bonuses, and will considerably lighten the financial burden overshadowing the upcoming transfer window.
This should allow the club to begin focusing on making signings without the fear of having to sell more key names to balance the books.
Joao Mario joined Inter from Sporting in 2016 but failed to establish himself at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, enduring unsuccessful loan spells at West Ham United and Lokomotiv Moscow before returning to Portugal.