Powerful Brazil international forward Hulk has joined Chinese Super League (CSL) club Shanghai SIPG, from Zenit St Petersburg, in a deal believed to be worth around £45m, reportedly signing a £320,000-a-week contract.
The free-spending Chinese club, managed by former England and Manchester City boss Sven-Goran Eriksson, have broken the Chinese (and Asian) transfer records to complete the business. The previous figure stood at £37.50m, which was the amount paid by league rivals Jiangsu Suning, earlier in the year, for Hulk’s fellow Brazilian Alex Teixeira from Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk.
“Zenit have reached a preliminary agreement with Shanghai SIPG concerning the transfer of Hulk, and on Wednesday the player will undergo a medical.” previously stated Dmitri Zimmerman, Zenit’s press officer, to the Russian daily newspaper Sport Express.
It is not the first time, Hulk, who’s full name is Givanildo Vieira de Sousa, has experienced football in Asia. The versatile attacker played in Japan for three years, a spell between 2005 to 2008, where he featured for three teams: Kawasaki Frontale, Consadole Sapporo and Tokyo Verdy, before getting his big break in Europe with a transfer to Porto.
Hulk, who was mobbed by fans after his arrival at Shanghai airport, joins a growing group of Brazilians plying their trade in the CSL including Teixeira, former Chelsea man Ramires, and ex-Tottenham midfielder Paulinho.
