Sporting CP could be facing a mass exodus this summer, after a number of reports claimed that a host of first-team players have filed papers with the Portuguese Football Federation confirming their desire to terminate their contracts.

Portuguese news outlet ​Record first reported that William Carvalho, Gelson Martins and Bruno Fernandes had already advanced with Sporting’s request for rescission, while Rui Patrício and Daniel Podence were also set to depart the club for free this summer.

A subsequent report from Sapo suggests that Ricardo Battaglia, Bas Dost and Jeremy Mathieu will now follow suit, and could depart the Lisbon based giants by the end of the week.

The upheaval follows a malicious attack on Sporting’s players and staff at the Academy of Alcochete last month, ​where around 50 hooded supporters, armed with belts and stick, attacked the players at the end of a training session.

The attack was understood to be in response to Sporting missing out on qualification for next season’s Champions League place, with Leões having come third in Liga NOS last campaign.

However, it is crucial that the entirety of the process is finalised this week, with Thursday being a month since the attack at the Academy of Alcochete, thereby ending the the legal term for terminations for just cause.

Speaking regarding the termination of his contract, Patricio recently said: “I was the victim of physical and psychological violence, so in order to preserve my personal and professional dignity, I wish to end the contract that ties me to Sporting.”

Should their contracts being terminated, their is expected to be a swathe of interest in their services, with Martins reportedly interesting Arsenal, Dost interesting Everton and Newcastle, and Carvalho having been long linked with a move to West Ham.

The financial ramifications could be huge for Sporting, with the estimated value of the players set to leave far exceeding the €100m mark.

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