Joao Mario: Inter Milan buy Sporting Lisbon midfielder for £38.4m

Joao Mario has joined Inter Milan from Sporting Lisbon for £38.4m (45m euros), becoming the most expensive Portuguese player ever sold by a Portuguese club.

The 23-year-old's move beats Sporting's sales of Cristiano Ronaldo (£12.24m) and Nani (£25m) to Manchester United. It is also the second-biggest move out of Portugal, marginally behind the fee Monaco paid Porto for Colombian James Rodriguez in 2013.

Inter remain in talks over signing Brazilian Gabriel Barbosa from Santos. Midfielder Mario made 171 appearances for Sporting and won Euro 2016 with Portugal.