Done deal: Wolves sign Portugal keeper Rui Patricio

The 30-year-old has signed a four-year contract and joins Wolves on a free transfer after terminating his own contract at Portuguese club Sporting, where he had spent his entire career to this point.

Patricio has been capped 70 times by Portugal and is currently in Russia for the World Cup.

He was part of the team that won the European Championship in France two years ago and has been a regular for his country since 2011.

Patricio is one of seven Sporting players – including fellow Portugal players William Carvalho, Gelson Martins and Bruno Fernandes.– to cancel their own contracts in response to an attack by 50 of their own supporters at the end of the season when the team missed out on Champions League football.

Sporting president Bruno de Carvalho has opened legal proceedings against Patricio and others.

However Wolves are known to be confident that the specific deal they've agreed with Patricio is legally sound. If the case goes to to Fifa then Wolves may have to end up paying a compensation fee from a tribunal, but that's unlikely to be anything near the reported £18m they were said to be paying for Patricio before he cancelled his contract.

Patricio is part of the Gestifute agency run by Jorge Mendes, who has played a key role in bringing him to Wolves.

He played 56 times for Sporting last season, conceding 48 goals. In total Leiria-born Patricio made 460 appearances in all competitions for Sporting including 26 games in the Champions League.

Patricio made his Portugal debut in 2010 aged 22 and in the country's undisputed number one, playing in the 3-3 draw with Spain at the weekend.

The experienced keeper joins 31-year-old John Ruddy and 24-year-old Will Norris in the club's ranks. Last season's third choice shot-stopper, Harry Burgoyne, yesterday joined League One side Plymouth Argyle on a season-long loan.

Patricio becomes Wolves' fifth signing of the summer after Diogo Jota (£13m), Willy Boly (£10m), Benik Afobe (£10m) and Mexico international striker Raul Jimenez (loan from Benfica). Afobe was of course sold to Stoke 11 days after joining for £12m.