João Mario closing in on surprise move
Joao Mario has had a tough time since arriving in Italy, and his stay at Inter Milan is looking to come to an end - at least temporarily.
With Sporting CP toying with the idea of bringing back the 25-year old midfielder, there has been a lot of intrigue about his future over the summer, and as we approach the end of the continental transfer window, his future looks set to be decided.
However, while his departure does not come as a surprise, the destination may well do, with Mario expected to be heading to the Russian Premier League.
Indeed, Mario is expected to link up with Portuguese hero Eder and join Manuel Fernandes’ former club Lokomotiv Moscow on a season long loan. The deal will then contain the option to make the move permanent.
The option to make the move permanent is believed to be in the region of just 18 million euros - a marked reduction on the fee that Inter Milan originally paid for him (45million).
In total, Mario played 64 league games during his spell in Italy, scoring 5 goals in the process.
