Ezequiel Lavezzi has revealed that he turned down Manchester United and Chelsea before making his big-money move to the Chinese Super League.
The Argentine international joined Hebei China Fortune from PSG during the winter transfer window for a fee believed to be in the region of £3.5 million, and he will reportedly earn a whopping £400,000 per week during his two-year contract.
Lavezzi was once one of the hottest properties in Europe when he burst onto the scene for Napoli alongside Edinson Cavani, and he initially cost the French club £23 million.
But with money like the wages he’s now earning on offer, it’s not hard to imagine why Lavezzi, 30, decided to go to the Far East, but he admits he had other tempting offers on the table from household names.
Speaking to French broadcaster Canal+, via Goal.com, he said:
“I could have signed for Inter Milan, Chelsea or Manchester United.
“But I made the decision to go to China. It’s an important choice for my career, I’m sure I’ll face many challenges here.
“I like the project to develop this club. It was that which convinced me to come to Hebei, as well as the financial aspect.
“I’m also fascinated by Chinese culture, so to come and play here is definitely an interesting challenge.”
The Chinese culture – yeah, sure Ezequiel. We believe you.
What do you make of his comments? Would he have been a success in the Premier League? And should clubs like Chelsea and Manchester United be worried that they can no longer compete financially with Chinese teams?
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