Liverpool target Joao Mario joins Inter Milan in record-breaking move

Joao Mario has become the most expensive Portuguese player in history after completing a £38.3m move from Sporting Lisbon to Inter Milan.

The Italian giants are understood to have been in a straight battle with Liverpool for the 23-year-old, who was a winning member of Portugal's Euro 2016 squad.

Mario had been closing in on a switch to San Siro over the past few days, along with Brazilian youngster Gabriel Barbosa, with Sporting posting a farewell letter to their player on Saturday.

Inter have now confirmed that a €45m deal has been struck for Mario, adding to the signings of Antonio Candreva, Dodo, Cristian Ansaldi, Marcelo Brozovic, Gianluca Caprari, Rey Manaj and Ever Banega already this summer.