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Sporting clause bypassed
The fourth-most expensive signing in Inter Milan history will leave the club on a free transfer. The Nerazzurri have terminated João Mário’s contract that was supposed to run until 2022 by mutual consent. According to various media reports, the contract termination was necessary to pave the way for a transfer to Benfica.
Mário last played for his academy club, Sporting, with whom he won the championship for the first time in 19 years. The Leões had a clause with Inter Milan that prohibited them from selling the 2016 European Championship winner to another Portuguese club. Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reported recently that the lawyers of both clubs were looking for a solution. Benfica had already agreed on a contract until 2026 with Mário.
With Ronaldo & Lukaku: Inter Milan’s record transfers
Instead, Inter could be compensated differently—for example, by moving an academy player for a low transfer fee in the other direction. In the last few years, young players have often been moved for inflated transfer fees without playing a major role at their new club. LOSC Lille, for example, signed Luigi Liguori, Ciro Palmieri, and Claudio Manzi for the second team—the club also signed veteran goalkeeper Orestis Karnezis. Those players were transferred for €5 million each from Napoli. Victor Osimhen moved the other way for €70 million. The deal has a positive impact on the club’s budget, which plays a big role for Financial Fair Play.
Inter Milan paid €40 million after Euro 2016 for Mário, more than that club paid for Ronaldo, Lautaro Martínez, or Zlatan Ibrahimović. Mário, however, struggled in Italy and scored just four goals and 13 assists in 69 games for Inter. Ahead of his loan to Sporting, Mário was loaned to West Ham United (2017/18) and Lokomotiv Moscow (2019/20).
| COMUNICATO
Il Club ha raggiunto un accordo con il calciatore Joao Mario per la risoluzione del contratto https://t.co/E3O0PQJWZi
— Inter (@Inter) July 12, 2021
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