Shenhua closes in on Sissoko
Print Edition
SHANGHAI Greenland Shenhua is very close to signing Mohamed “Momo” Sissoko though there is no news about the club’s other signing — a new striker.
Club spokesperson Ma Yue told Shanghai Daily yesterday that the team, which lost to Jiangsu Sainty 2-3 in Nanjing in the 15th round of Chinese Super League last night, might announce the signing of the Mali defensive midfielder after the players return from the game.
Sissoko is about to finish his six-month deal with Spanish La Liga side Levante. The 30-year-old started his career as a striker in the youth system of French club AJ Auxerre. He played for Spanish club Valencia from 2003 to 2005 and moved to Premier League side Liverpool, along with then Valencia coach Rafa Benitez, spending 2-1/2 years in England. The midfielder’s travels then took him to Italian Serie A giant Juventus in 2008, French Ligue 1 side Paris Saint-Germaine in 2011, and back to Italy with Fiorentina on loan in 2013. Last January, Sissoko joined Levante after spending nearly five months without a club.
The CSL mid-season transfer window opened this week. Shenhua has been looking for a new midfield bulwark since both of its current defensive midfielders, Wang Yun and Colombian Giovanni Moreno, are more fond of attacking.
Now, Sissoko is likely to replace Zambian defender Stopplia Sunzu, who picked up a knee injury while playing for the national team and could be out for up to three weeks.
Initial targets
Top club officials also revealed their initial targets for new foreign players, with AS Roma’s Ivorian forward Seydou Doumbia, former Chelsea striker Demba Ba and Senegalese striker Mame Biram Diouf, who currently plays for Premier League side Stoke City, tipped as favorites.
Reports suggest that CSL joint leader Beijing Guo’an is also interested in Doumbia and has made an offer worth 14 million euros (US$15.67 million). However, the Ivorian seems reluctant to join any club in China.
In Nanjing, Australian striker Tim Cahill, whose future with Shenhua remains unclear, started for the team and scored Shenhua’s first goal in the second half — his third for the club. The former Everton player still has another nine months to run on his one-year contract.
Sammir scored the opener for hosts Jiangsu six minutes into the match, though the Croatian missed a penalty later in the first half. A poor backward pass by Shenhua’s Wang Yun gave Jiangsu another goal four minutes later. The visitors managed to equalize at the beginning of the second half thanks to goals from Cahill and Wang. Striker Kjartansson then sealed the points for Jiangsu in the 73rd, powering the team up to fifth in the CSL standings on 22 points. Shenhua is 11th on 18 points.
In another match, Shanghai SIPG beat Liaoning Whowin 3-1 in Panjin to join Guangzhou Evergrande and Guo’an at the top of the CSL table on 29 points.
Evergrande takes on Guo’an in the round’s marquee match-up in Guangzhou tonight.
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