Sporting CP have reached an agreement with Atletico Madrid to settle Gelson Martins’ transfer fee at €30m, according to reports.
The 23-year-old joined Atleti as a ‘free agent’, according to their website, despite Sporting insisting they were due a fee of €45m for the player.
However, Marca now cite A Bola as reporting that in their hopes of avoiding a court case, the two clubs will settle on a fee of €30m.
New Sporting president Frederico Varandas is keen to resolve the issue, while he has also reportedly agreed with Wolverhampton Wanderers on a €20m fee for goalkeeper Rui Patricio.
Of Cape Verde heritage, Martins has made 125 first-team appearances for the Lisbon-based giants and has also won 19 caps for Portugal but in a separate development is also claiming €3.2m from his former club, say Record.
A series of Sporting players left the club this summer on ‘free transfers’ but the Lisbon-based giants are now claiming they broke their contracts, and they are now entitled to ‘market value’ transfer fees.
Previous Sporting president Sousa Cintra has claimed: “The player’s clause was €100m and we were only going to settle for a proposal of €45m, we have made that very clear.
“Atleti thought that we would accept anything – €15m or €17m, then finally offered €20m.
“I am sure we will not lose a court case, that is what my lawyers have told me, and now it is up to the new board of the club to decide what action to take.”
