Transfer Centre

Jorge Jesus: 'Sporting Lisbon cannot afford Robin van Persie'

By Matt Law, Football Editor | 24 July 2016

Sporting Lisbon would have to "sell everything" to be able to afford Fenerbahce forward Robin van Persie, according to the Portuguese side's manager Juan Jesus.

Sporting Lisbon boss Jorge Jesus has joked that his club would have to 'sell their stadium' to be able to afford experienced Dutch forward Robin van Persie.

The 32-year-old is widely expected to leave Fenerbahce this summer, just one season after making the move to the Turkish giants from Manchester United.

A number of Premier League clubs, including Stoke City, Crystal Palace, West Ham United and Middlesbrough, have been linked with the forward and Sporting have also been credited with an interest in recent days.

Jesus, however, has insisted that his team would not come close to being able to afford the striker's wages and would have to "sell everything" just to be in the hunt.

"Van Persie is a player who interests a lot of clubs. He is a great player," Jesus told SportTV. "But if we are talking about great players, [Lionel] Messi is a great player as well. If you knew how much someone like Van Persie earns per season. It's madness. It's impossible to even dream of it for most teams in the world.

"But in Turkey it's possible. I would love to have Van Persie in my squad, but we would have to sell our stadium in order to be able to afford him. We would have to sell everything. And we do need a place to play our home games..."

Van Persie signed a three-year contract with Fenerbahce last summer and scored 22 times in 48 appearances for the Super Lig club during his first season.