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Sven lures Conca back to China in 'US$11m' deal

FORMER England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson has lured Argentine star Dario Conca back to the Chinese Super League, his club Shanghai SIPG said Wednesday, on a deal reported to be worth almost $11 million a year.

"Conca will arrive in Shanghai soon and will be formally signed after a medical," the club said on its verified account on China's Twitter-like Sina Weibo.

Conca returns to China after only a year at Brazilian club Fluminense, which he joined following three successful seasons at Chinese champions Guangzhou Evergrande.

He is the latest in a series of signings by Eriksson, who has been building up Shanghai since he became coach in November on a deal reportedly worth up to $6 million a year.

The move for the 31-year-old would suggest the Swede is attempting to replicate the success of former Guangzhou boss Marcello Lippi.

The Italian World Cup winning manager stepped down last year after leading the Guangdong outfit to their fourth successive Chinese title, and guiding the team to AFC Champions League glory in 2013.

Conca was a pivotal player in Guangzhou's dominance, scoring 55 goals in 100 appearances.

The Shanghai club did not mention the contract length or salary, but a report on Sina Sports news portal said it was worth $10.8 million a year, with other media adding it was a two-year deal.

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 Evergrande and South Korean international Kim Ju-Young from Seoul FC.

Shanghai SIPG were previously called Shanghai East Asia but were renamed by owners Shanghai International Port Group (SIPG) in November.

They finished fifth in last season's CSL, which is currently the highest attended football league in Asia.

The Chinese football season traditionally runs from March to November.




 

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