West Ham are set to announce the capture of attacking midfielder Joao Mario on loan from Inter imminently.
The 25-year-old completed a medical yesterday afternoon ahead of a half-season loan move. But what do we know about our new Portuguese international?So we asked KUMB member SirWilliam, who's a fan of Sporting Lisbon, to give us the low down on David Moyes first signing...
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"There were three players in Sporting's squad (and later Portugal's as well) that came from our Academy," he writes. "That's William Carvalho (a former Hammers target), central midfielder Adrien Silva and Joao Mario.
"Whilst Mario can play on the wing, he'll usually play more towards the penalty area than the sidelines, what we in Portugal call an interior direito (inside right midfielder). He's a complete player who might not excel in any one area but is very good in all aspects; pace, stamina, passing, shooting and defending.
"Having failed to sign Carvalho last summer, it looks like you´re finally getting your second Euro 2016-winning. Portuguese international. It's a great move by your board, he's a very talented player, even if he isn't the holding midlfielder you desperately need."
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And SirWilliam also offered his thoughts as to why Mario - despite costing Inter in the region of £35million - failed to secure a spot in the first team at the San Siro.
"Since he went to Italy in August 2016, Inter have had four different managers. He was brought in by Frank de Boer, who left in November 2016, then there was the interim manager Stefano Vecchi, Stefano Piolo and the current manager, Luciano Spalletti.
"Last season, JM was considered by many as the best player in their midfield, and it was baffling to fans, journalists and pundits alike as to why he was left out or in the bench so often, when he was always instrumental when he was on the pitch.
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"Some have speculated that, because of financial woes, Inter didn't want to trigger clauses that would have added to the €40million they'd already paid. That's been further fueled by Inter's interest this past summer in trying to recoup the investment they made in him.
"When none of the big names (PSG and Man Utd were rumoured to be interested) stepped up, they again benched him more regularly, even when he performed well when he played. The team played better with him as well. It's no surprise that this uncertainty finally took it's toll and JM's game started to drop.
"As it stands, a move is the best for everyone."
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However with regards to the long-term, SirWilliam believes that Mario is unlikely to remain at the Olympic Stadium. "Mario will likely get a lot more game time, which will restore his morale and help him secure a place in the World Cup, which is without a doubt a major goal of his", he said.
"West Ham get a very talented player on loan, who could help the team a great deal and provide more creativity up front. If things go well, the board might even decide to buy him, although I doubt Inter will sell him for a lot less than the €40million they paid, and I don't see the Sullivans splashing that kind of cash.
"Inter gets some relief on they pay sheet, and if the player shines now, and/or in the World Cup, they might just get an offer they'll accept for him come the summer transfer window."
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