Premier League newcomers Wolverhampton Wanderers will seemingly have to pay Sporting Lisbon for goalkeeper Rui Patricio after all.
Rui Patricio was at the centre of one of the summer’s oddest transfer sagas.
The Portuguese goalkeeper, like a number of his Sporting Lisbon teammates, left the Estadio Jose Alvalade on a free transfer after terminating his contract on the back of that shocking attack by a masked group at the club’s training ground.
Patricio eventually joined Wolverhampton Wanderers on a free transfer. Sporting, however, have been looking for compensation and want Wolves to pay a fee for Portugal’s number one.
A Bola now reports that an end is in sight. And Wolves are expected to pay around £18 million to ensure that this whole Patricio situation is dealt with.
Patricio will no longer be counted as one of the most incredible free-transfer coups in recent memory. But, in truth, even £18 million is a bargain for one of the world’s most impressive goalkeepers.
Patricio has earned 75 caps for Portugal and won Euro 2016 with his country. And, since moving to Molineux, the 30-year-old has proved his class with some truly outstanding saves.
When you consider that Chelsea and Liverpool paid in the region of £70 and £60 million this summer for Kepa and Alisson Becker respectively, £18 million for Patricio seems like a drop in the ocean.
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