Inter clinches €45-million signing of Joao Mario from Sporting Lisbon

Inter manager Frank de Boer is wasting no time splashing the cash to reinforce his squad following an embarrassing season-opening loss to Chievo.

The Nerazzurri have reached an opulent agreement with Sporting Lisbon to sign Euro 2016 winner Joao Mario, the Portuguese club announcing Saturday that a €45-million deal has been brokered for the midfielder.

The deal will see Inter fork over €40 million, with the remaining €5 million coming in the form of potential add-ons. As such, the 23-year-old, who helped Portugal to glory at Euro 2016 earlier this summer, becomes the most expensive departure in Primeira Liga history.

"Thank you Sporting for everything you did for me. I started out as a child who comes to training and dreams of reaching the first team. From the first day I knew I had made the right choice and thank all the people without exception who were part of this story," he wrote in an emotional farewell post on Instagram.

"To all the coaches I had, all the people who worked for years at the academy, I say THANK YOU! You will all be in my heart, like the Sporting fans, for the affection they have always shown me. From today I too am a fan to cheer on Sporting!

"Thank you to Inter for this great opportunity and for all the love shown to me during my journey. I am eager to get started."

His signing is expected to coincide with Inter's capture of blossoming Brazilian star Gabriel "Gabigol" Barbosa, the young attacker making the move to Serie A from Santos.

Related: Gabigol, Joao Mario land in Milan to complete Inter deals

Signing the Portuguese midfielder, who can play both centrally and out wide on the right side, gives Inter another exciting, technically gifted attacking option in a squad already boasting the likes of Ivan Perisic, Antonio Candreva, and, of course, Mauro Icardi.

A tireless worker who was arguably the standout midfielder in Portugal last season - he spearheaded Sporting to within two points of title-winner Benfica in 2015-16 - Joao Mario figures to play a significant role as Inter looks to push for a Champions League place.