Joao Mario is one of a number of several former players that Sporting president Frederico Varandas would like to bring back to the club according to a report from Portuguese news outlet O Jogo.

The 27-year-old is currently on Inter’s books and has been since the Summer of 2016 but is currently out on loan at Russian Premier League club Lokomotiv Moscow, who he has made 15 appearances for across all competitions this season in which he has scored one goal and provided four assists.

Aside from Joao Mario, the report states that Varandas would also like to bring Adrien Silva, Islam Slimani, Cédric Soares and Miguel Veloso back to the José Alvalade Stadium.

Silva, Cedric and Veloso all started their careers with Sporting just like Joao Mario did whilst it was Sporting who brought Algerian national team striker Slimani to Europe from Chabab Riadhi de Belouizdad back in the Summer of 2013.