Nuno praises ‘mature’ Patricio as compensation saga nears conclusion
Wolverhampton Wanderers are close to agreeing a £15m compensation fee with Sporting Lisbon for goalkeeper Rui Patricio.
The BBC write that his new manager Nuno Espirito Santo has been impressed with the way the 30-year-old has handled the situation, both on and off the field.
Patricio, along with eight other Sporting players, decided to terminate his contract with the Portuguese giants after the team suffered an attack from a number of their own supporters.
That lead to him signing for Wolves on a free transfer in June, a move which angered his former employers.
They consequently complained to FIFA and demanded a £50m compensation fee for the 76-cap Portugal international.
The club have since lowered their demands considerably, and look set to conclude negotiations after Read Wolves reported last week that club officials were to visit England.
Patricio has started every one of Wolves’ eight Premier League fixtures to date, conceding just six goals and keeping four clean sheets in the process.
On the player’s attitude, Espirito Santo said:
He’s a very mature player, he has a lot of experience and besides that, he knows how to handle things.
He can separate things and you must separate things – when you train, when you compete and all the matters that surround you. You have to go away from that. As a club, Wolves have excellent behaviour in this situation. Anything else will be said by the club.
Patricio will be between the sticks for tomorrow’s home clash with Watford and will be hoping for his fifth shutout of the campaign.