Argentine soccer star Carlos Tevez signs $40M deal in China

• Share on Facebook
• Share on Bluesky
• Share on X
• Copy Link

Chinese clubs have spent heavily over the past year to attract mainly South American stars. Last week, Shenhua’s city rival Shanghai SIPG sealed a deal with Oscar from Chelsea. Other stars to join Chinese clubs include the Brazilians Hulk, Ramires and Paulinho, Colombian striker Jackson Martinez and Argentine forward Ezequiel Lavezzi.

Moving ahead

Liberal party adopts motion to restrict kids from social media

1h ago

Home Sweet Home

Textbook touchdown for Artemis II astronauts as they return from moon voyage

3h ago

built in 1967

Last chance to own a piece of Lloydminster's iconic history as demolition nears

4h ago

Tevez will be coached by Gus Poyet, the former Sunderland and Real Betis manager who became Shenhua’s manager in November. Other internationally recognized managers in the Chinese Super League include Guangzhou Evergrande coach Luiz Felipe Scolari, Shanghai SIPG coach Andre Villas-Boas, and Hebei China Fortune’s Manuel Pellegrini.

China’s government wants to turn the country into a football power, setting the goal of having a team capable of winning the World Cup by 2050. Leading the national team is Italian coach Marcello Lippi, signed earlier this year to a hefty contract of his own. China has also invested in youth soccer and building stronger pipelines to develop homegrown talent.

But the Super League’s shopping spree has raised eyebrows and alarmed major European clubs who previously had no rival in attracting the world’s top players. Antonio Conte, manager of Chelsea, said earlier this month that “the Chinese market is a danger for all.”

Tevez has appeared in two World Cups for Argentina and previously played for Manchester United, Manchester City and West Ham United in the English Premier League, as well as Italy’s Juventus.

Tevez moved last year to Boca Juniors, the club where he began his senior career, after helping Juventus win its fourth straight Serie A title. But he was quoted in the Argentine press this year saying that he was unhappy and even contemplating retirement.

___

Associated Press researcher Fu Ting in Shanghai contributed to this report.

Nomaan Merchant, The Associated Press