Sports
10:43, 05-Oct-2018
Guangzhou Evergrande to pay $57.5m to tie down ex-Barcelona star Paulinho
Updated
10:15, 08-Oct-2018
["china","europe"]
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Chinese Super League giants Guangzhou Evergrande will stump up 57.5 million US dollars in January to complete the permanent signing of former Barcelona midfielder Paulinho, according to the Spanish media outlet Marca.
The Brazil international completed a shocking return to Guangzhou this summer after only 12 months at Barcelona on an initial one-year loan deal. But the 30-year-old made an immediate impact in CSL, reviving Fabio Cannavaro's side's title hopes with 10 goals and five assists in 13 appearances this term.
Paulinho enjoyed a successful first campaign at the Nou Camp in which he won La Liga and Copa Del Rey with Barcelona. /VCG Photo
Paulinho enjoyed a successful first campaign at the Nou Camp in which he won La Liga and Copa Del Rey with Barcelona. /VCG Photo
So much so, Guangzhou Evergrande have decided to exercise their option to buy Paulinho which was included in a clause in their loan agreement with Barcelona.
Should the CSL giants opt to fork out 57.5 million US dollars, as the Marca newspaper revealed, to buy Paulinho in January, Barcelona will have far more than enough to recoup the 47.5 million US dollars they paid for the Brazilian last summer.
Paulinho previously struggled to impress in two seasons spent at Tottenham Hotspur after making the move to the Premier League in 2013. But he recaptured his form in China after joining Evergrande, winning back-to-back league titles as well as the AFC Champions League in 2015.
Paulinho emerged as an influential midfield cog in Brazil coach Tite (L)'s team at the World Cup in Russia. /VCG Photo
Paulinho emerged as an influential midfield cog in Brazil coach Tite (L)'s team at the World Cup in Russia. /VCG Photo
His excellent form also saw him earn a surprising transfer to Barcelona where he registered nine goals and two assists in 34 La Liga appearances as the Catalan side clinch the league and cup double.
As a pivotal member of Brazil's World Cup squad in Russia, Paulinho played in all five of their matches but suffered heartbreak after they were dumped out by Belgium in the quarter-finals.
With the CSL title race down to the wire, Paulinho has shifted his focus back to domestic campaign as Guangzhou Evergrande, who are currently four points adrift of league leaders Shanghai SIPG, are striving to create history and win their eighth title on a trot.