Premier League: Wolves snap up Sporting Lisbon's Rui Patricio on free transfer

Wolverhampton: Wolverhampton Wanderers have signed Portuguese goalkeeper Rui Patricio on a free transfer after he annulled his contract at Portuguese club Sporting, the newly promoted Premier League side said on Monday.

The 30-year-old, who joins Wolves on a four-year deal, left Sporting in the wake of an attack on its players by a group of hooded supporters armed with sticks and belts at their training ground last month.

Patricio, who is in Portugal’s side for the World Cup in Russia, joined Sporting’s youth academy in 2000. He made his senior team debut in 2006 and had been at the club ever since.

He made at least 460 appearances for the Portuguese club in all competitions and has been capped 70 times by his country.

The signing follows Wolves’ permanent capture of defender Willy Boly, while Mexican forward Raul Jimenez has joined Nuno Espirito Santo’s side on a season-long loan from Benfica.