The name of João Mario has once again become a topic of discussion for Inter Milan. The midfielder, who was purchased by the Nerazzurri in 2016 for €40 million and then permanently departed in 2021, is currently playing for Besiktas. However, his past transfer has resurfaced as a contentious issue.
According to reports from Record, one of Portugal’s leading newspapers (via La Gazzetta dello Sport), Sporting are pursuing legal action through sports justice channels to claim a €30 million indemnity. The Portuguese club believes that Inter Milan should be responsible for this payment.
The dispute stems from events in 2021 when Inter terminated João Mario’s contract, allowing him to become a free agent after loan spells at Lokomotiv Moscow and Sporting CP. Subsequently, he signed with Benfica, where he played until last year. Sporting CP contends that this contract termination was executed to circumvent a clause in the original transfer agreement, which stipulated that Inter could not sell João Mario to other Portuguese clubs without incurring a €30 million penalty payable to Sporting.
After FIFA rejected their initial appeal, Sporting CP has taken the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). The first hearing is scheduled for December 9th, where Sporting will argue their claim for the €30 million compensation from Inter Milan.
This legal battle adds a new dimension to João Mario’s complex transfer history and could potentially have significant financial implications for Inter Milan if Sporting CP’s claim is upheld.
