Benfica are pressing forward with attempts to complete a deal for Inter midfielder Joao Mario, with the Portuguese club hoping to have the deal done early this week.
This according to today’s print edition of Lisbon-based newspaper Record, who report that the clubs are in active talks, with the only matter left up in the air being the possible legal problems caused by a clause in his original sale from Sporting to Inter in 2016.
Sporting claim that the clause in question prohibits the Nerazzurri from selling the 28-year-old to any Portuguese club other than them, under penalty of a €30 million fine, and would invoke this clause in a legal challenge should a sale take place.
The lawyers of Inter and Benfica are working on making the sale without the clause being a problem, but it is currently thought that the option is being considered of allowing the midfielder to terminate his contract so that he can depart as a free agent, thus making the clause inapplicable.
The Nerazzurri are hoping to avoid paying out the €6 million in remaining wages on the midfielder’s contract, and will hope that a deal can be done soon, even if they are unable to immediately receive a fee from his transfer.
