Brazilian Hulk Joins Chinese Super League as Its Latest Recruit

Shanghai SIPG completes deal for Zenit’s forward Hulk for a reported fee of €58 million, breaking the Chinese Super League transfer record in the process.

(Image credit: ESPN)

Zenit’s spokesperson Dmitri Zimmerman reportedly told Sport Express, “Zenit have reached a preliminary agreement with Shanghai SIPG concerning the transfer of Hulk, and on Wednesday the player will undergo a medical.”

“Zenit will receive around €56 million, while a further €2 million could be added to the total price,” said Zimmerman of Hulk’s transfer to Shanghai SIPG, which makes his move the most expensive signing in the Chinese Super League. Details pertaining to the personal agreements were not disclosed, however it is believed Hulk will be earning somewhere in the region of €20 million per season.

Shanghai SIPG are currently 4th on the table with 24 points, and they find themselves 12 points behind league leaders Guangzhou Evergrande – serial champions that have claimed the last five editions of the Chinese Super League. Former England manager and current boss of Shanghai SIPG Sven-Goran Eriksson will welcome Hulk with open arms as they bid to clinch a top three finish in the league in efforts to enter the qualifiers for the AFC Champions League.

Hulk moved to Russian Premier League club Zenit St. Petersburg from Porto in 2012 in a deal thought to be worth somewhere between €40-60 million. During his four-year stay with the Russian outfit, he’s made 144 appearances and found the back of the net on 75 occasions across all competitions. The Brazilian has scored more than 20 goals in each of his final three years with Zenit, however he’s never hit 30 goals in a single season – a stat that is considered standard for a forward that costs in excess of €40 million.

(Image  credit: Fox Soccer)

By agreeing to ship him off to the Chinese Super League, Zenit have completed a wonderful piece of business, considering that he will soon turn 30 years of age (July 25). If his rumoured transfer from Porto in 2012 cost them up to €60 million, then with this sale the Russian club have recouped almost all of their money, with the only expensive being his salary during his four seasons at Petrovsky Stadium.

According to Chinese Super League (CSL) regulations, a club is only allowed to have five foreign players within the squad, while one of those players must hold a passport from one of the nations participating in the Asian Football Confederation (ASC). Additionally, during an official match only three foreign players and one AFC players can be fielded, while the rest of the team on the pitch must consists of Chinese players.

Hulk joins a list of football stars that have switched the glory of European football for the riches of China. Nicolas Anelka and Didier Drogba were among the first big stars to leave their clubs for the CSL in 2012, and they were soon followed a number of other “marquee” players from Europe.

According to Yahoo Sports, CSL clubs have spent a combined €331 million ($365 million) in the transfer market in the first half 2016 already, with the majority of the sum going on foreign talents. Jiangsu Suning broke the Chinese transfer record when they brought in former Chelsea midfielder Ramires for a fee of €28 million in January of this year, however that record was broken twice in the same transfer window with two other South American signings.

Guangzhou Evergrande have won the Chinese Super League the last five times
(Image credit: GB Times)

Colombian striker Jackson Martinez moved from Atletico Madrid to Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao for €42 million, while a few days later the transfer record was yet again broken with Jiangsu Suning’s acquisition of  Brazilian midfielder Alex Teixeira from Ukrainian side Shakhtar for a reported fee of €50 million.

Eric Gao, the organizer of the popular International Champions Cup, commented on the positive developments in the Chinese Super League in recent years.

“The President of China re-organized the football system and this will keep the momentum going for dozens even hundreds of years,” said Gao. “It will continue under him and will carry on after him. Chinese football will grow. Some people say it’s just a beginning and not the finish of it.”

Gao also stressed that the Premier League boasts a reputation for harbouring some of the best football talents in the world, which is attracting massive interest from Chinese Super League clubs. “Chinese people like to buy good assets and I think England and the Premier League clubs will become more and more of a target.”

Shanghai SIPG are underdogs 3.20 (11/5) against upcoming opponents Hebei Fortune 2.00 (1/1), per online sportsbook Bet365. A draw between the two stands at 3.30 (23/10) – a result that is quite likely. Defending champions Guangzhou Evergrande on the other hand are the absolute favourites 1.36 (4/11) heading into the match against Shandong Luneng 7.00 (6/1), with a draw 4.20 (16/5) being the most that the latter can hope for.

(For more info about the online sportsbook, check out Betting Herald’s Bet365 Sports Review.)