Sao Paulo announces the sale of an important player to European football.

Thiago Mendes, 25 years old, is the second player from Sao Paulo who leaves the club to join Lille, a team coached by Argentine Marcelo Bielsa, after the transfer in early June of young forward Luiz Araújo, for €10.5 million.

"It was my choice. The president and the sports director did everything to make me stay. I had their full support and Rogério's (Ceni, coach), but I wanted to play in Europe. I thank Sao Paulo and everyone who has always helped me in these three years", said the player in a press conference on Friday.

Mendes stated that he spoke to Bielsa on the phone and that the coach convinced him to accept Lille's offer.

The player arrived at Sao Paulo in January 2015 from Goiás, where he had shone in the previous four years.

Sao Paulo, one of the great teams in Brazil and currently coached by their eternal idol, former goalkeeper Rogério Ceni, is experiencing a serious financial crisis that has forced them in recent years to get rid of their main stars and young talents.

Just this year, attacking midfielder David Neres (Ajax), defender Lyanco (Torino), forward Luiz Araújo (Lille) and defender Maicon, who this same week signed with Galatasaray in Istanbul for nearly €7 million, were all sold.

EFE