João Mário makes the transfer from Internazionale to Benfica free of charge. An unhappy marriage comes to an end with the departure of the Portuguese midfielder. Inter paid him 40 million euros in the summer of 2016. After several rental periods, the 28-year-old midfielder’s stay at the Giuseppe Meazza has now come to a definitive end.
The 46-time international made a big impression in 2016 as a player for Sporting Portugal. Inter snapped and paid tens of millions for him. In his first season in Serie A, he made thirty league games, but the following season he ended up on the bench. After loan periods at West Ham United, Lokomotiv Moscow and Sporting Portugal, João Mário has now returned to Portugal for good.
Internazionale announced on Monday evening that João Mário’s ongoing contract had been dissolved. Hours later, he was presented by Benfica. The Portuguese top club does not report for how many seasons João Mário has been signed. This trumps reigning national champion Sporting; the Lisbon club wanted to continue with him after a successful collaboration last season.
João Mário is not the first player to leave Inter this summer. The Italians sold Achraf Hakimi to Paris Saint-Germain, Matteo Politano has been sold to Napoli and Antonio Candreva has left for Sampdoria. Earlier, Ashley Young (Aston Villa) and Daniele Padelli (Udinese) also left on a free transfer.
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