LISBON (Reuters) – Troubled Portuguese club Sporting are in talks with Premier League Norwich City over the sale of their top striker Ricky van Wolfswinkel, the Lisbon club said in a statement on Thursday.

Sporting are enduring one of the worst periods in their history, languishing 10th in the league, and the 24-year-old Dutchman is their top scorer with eight goals in the championship.

Sporting's Ricky Van Wolfswinkel reacts during their Portuguese Premier League match against Guimaraes at Afonso Herinques stadium in Guimaraes August 19, 2012. REUTERS/Miguel Vidal

"Sporting are in talks with Norwich regarding the transfer of Ricky Wolfswinkel," said the statement, published on stock market regulator CMVM’s web site (www.cmvm.pt). Sporting is a listed company.

With the club’s presidential election looming this weekend, the possible sale of the versatile and agile Van Wolfswinkel has angered candidates.

"Sporting should not have to sell players to pay salaries. We cannot accept that," Bruno de Carvalho, the front-runner in the polls to be the next president, told o Jogo daily.

(Reporting by Daniel Alvarenga, editing by Ed Osmond)

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