Conca denies money behind SIPG move
CHINESE Super League side Shanghai SIPG yesterday confirmed that Fluminense’s Argentine midfielder Conca was set to return to China.
Earlier, the Brazilian news hub UOL claimed Conca will sign a two-year contract with Shanghai SIPG in a deal reported to be worth 56 million reals (about US$22 million).
“Conca will arrive in Shanghai soon and will be formally signed after a medical,” SIPG, which is coached by former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson, said on its verified account on Sina Weibo.
The Shanghai club did not mention the contract length or salary, but a report on Sina Sports news portal said it was worth US$10.8 million a year, with other media adding it was a two-year deal.
The 32-year-old midfielder, who played for Guangzhou Evergrande between 2011 and 2013, told SporTV on Tuesday that he agreed to the move not just for the lucrative offer from Shanghai SIPG, but also because of Fluminense’s delay in paying his image rights fee. Conca said that if the club had been financially healthy after Unimed parted ways with Fluminense at the end of 2014, the negotiations for his transfer would have been more complicated.
“Certainly (the reason for my departure is) the internal problems, some things that happen within the club, make me consider departure as the best way. If I had a better plan provided by Fluminense, it would be more difficult for me to accept the transfer. I will not speak ill of anyone, I am grateful to Fluminense and the people who are there. But I’m not just for the money, not,” Conca told SporTV.
Conca said that he would face difficulties in his second spell in the Chinese league.
“It’s hard and a very huge challenge to me, even though I know that place,” he said.
Conca helped Evergrande win the AFC Champions League in 2011 and complete a treble of Chinese Super League titles between 2011 and 2013. He scored 55 goals in 100 appearances for Guangzhou.
Conca returned to his former club Fluminense last January and scored 16 goals from 59 matches in 2014.
Reports in England last week said Eriksson had made Newcastle United forward and Senegal international Papiss Cisse a similar offer to join Shanghai. Earlier this month the well-travelled coach signed Brazilian Davi from Guangzhou and South Korean international Kim Ju-young from Seoul FC.
Shanghai SIPG was previously called Shanghai East Asia but was renamed by owners Shanghai International Port Group in November. East Asia finished fifth in last season’s Chinese Super League.
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