Joao Mario started his professional career with Sporting Lisbon spending time at rivals Porto as a youngster between 2002 and 2004. Mario made his debut for Sporting on December 2011 when he came on a 78th-minute substitute in a 2-0 away defeat to Lazio.
That would be the only game that he played during the 2011/12 season before becoming a regular with the club’s B side the following season, playing 31 games, scoring once and making 11 assists. The 2013/14 season saw Mario make the step up to the first-team during the second half of the season as he made 15 appearances picking up six assists without scoring.
The following campaign saw the Portuguese midfielder play 45 times in all competitions, scoring seven goals and assisting a further five. He would make the same number of appearances and score the same amount of goals in 2015/16 while he racked up 12 assists from a number of positions.
That form coupled with some impressive displays with Portugal who won Euro 2016 convinced Inter Milan to fork out 40 million Euros plus an extra 5 million of add-ons to bring him to Italy. In his first season, he scored three goals and assisted eight in 33 appearances.
This season he has started 10 games for Inter making 5 assists in all competitions. He also scored one goal from two appearances for Portugal.
The 25-year-old is capable of playing anywhere across midfield. He is said to be confident and composed on the ball, his passing in the final third is always accurate and full of quality, evident in his 89% pass accuracy stat in Italy.
The Portuguese player likes to run at defenders. He is happy to bring the ball from deep with his powerful running or using his quick feet, good spatial awareness and is tricky to work his way out of tight spaces. A hugely impressive 78% take on percentage highlights his ability with the ball at his feet.
The Inter man is described an all-action midfield player who’s running and energy is the main part of his game and that might be the clue on why David Moyes wants him to join the Hammers on loan.
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