Rui Patricio signs for Wolves – and now several other players line up to leave crisis-hit Sporting Lisbon
Keeper Patricio set to prompt mass exodus from Portuguese club after total of players to terminate their contracts reaches nine
PREMIER League teams remain on high alert after three more Sporting Lisbon players joined the mass exodus from the troubled Portuguese club.
According to reports, Ruben Ribeiro, Rodrigo Battaglia and Rafael Leao have all terminated their contracts, taking the total of players to do so to nine following an attack by their own fans.
Four of those nine are part of Portugal’s World Cup squad – Rui Patricio, William Carvalho, Gelson Martins and Bruno Fernandes – while Bas Dost and Daniel Podence are also among the players now available on free transfers.
Patricio, Carvalho and Fernandes all played in Portugal’s 3-3 opening World Cup draw with Spain last Friday, with one-time Liverpool target and winger Martins also said to be on the radar of Arsenal.
Keeper Patricio signed for Wolves on a free transfer on Monday while West Ham may rekindle their interest in Euro 2016 winner Carvalho.
According to O Jogo, Argentinian midfielder Battaglia said: “It is impossible to continue with the work relationship and return to the club.”
The Portuguese Players’ Union previously stated the players cited ‘just cause’ as the reason for the termination following a training ground confrontation with angry fans.
Last month a number of players were attacked by around 50 masked thugs after the 18-time Primeira Liga champions failed to qualify for the Champions League.
Five days later they would also suffer a shock 2-1 loss to Aves in the Portuguese Cup final.
After the attack, in which Dost suffered a head injury, Patricio said: “I was the victim of physical and psychological violence, so in order to preserve my personal and professional dignity, I wish to end the contact that ties me to Sporting.”
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The unease has been bubbling away this season with club president Bruno de Carvalho suspending 19 first-team players after their Europa League quarter-final defeat to Atletico Madrid in April. He later deleted the post on social media and most of the players featured in the next game.
Last summer he engaged in a war of words with West Ham’s co-chairmen David Sullivan and David Gold over their pursuit of Carvalho.