Wolves open to Sporting discussions over Rui Patricio

But it's understood that they don't expect to pay the €18million that Sporting's acting president has suggested they should.

Patricio's move to Wolves went through last month after the situation at the Portuguese club descended into farce with nine players resigning following an attack by fans at the club's training ground.

It's been reported that Wolves were originally willing to pay €18m – £15.95m – to buy Patricio, before the experienced Portugal international keeper resigned and became a free agent.

Acting president Sousa Cintra, who has taken over after controversial former president Bruno de Carvalho was voted out of the club, said earlier this week that Wolves will still pay that transfer fee.

Cintra said: "Sporting will receive the money that was agreed. Wolves don’t want wars and acknowledge Sporting’s reason.

"Rui Patrício is a fantastic player, one of the best in the world. He wanted to leave and it’s not worth going back. The money that Sporting will receive is around €18m, a little less. We’ll get what we agreed to receive."

However it's understood that Wolves have certainly made no agreement to pay a fee. The matter could end up being decided by Fifa or via a tribunal.

Sporting director Kevin Thelwell, responding to Cintra's comments, told the Express & Star: "We wouldn’t make any public comment on that.

"As we always have, we tend to do our transfer business behind closed doors.

"If there’s conversations to be had with them (Sporting) or with the various authorities we'll gladly have those conversations."

Patricio was part of the Portugal team that reached the second round of the World Cup before being knocked out by Uruguay.

It's expected he'll join up with his new Wolves team mates after they return from a week-long trip to Switzerland.