Amid a sensational spending spree from Chinese Super League clubs, Manchester Untied captain Wayne Rooney could be next to make the move.
According to The Mirror, Rooney will be offered a staggering £500,000 per week to join Shanghai SIPG, who are currently coached by former England boss Sven Goran Eriksson.
The Swedish tactician currently earns £15m-a-year after tax in his current role, and with money being flooded into the sports economy, it seems only a matter of time before the biggest names in football are targeted by the Chinese clubs.
“Who doesn’t want Rooney? But I’m pretty sure he doesn’t want to leave Manchester United. Not for this moment, anyway,” said the Swede.
“Sooner or later, we are going to see names like Ronaldo, Messi and Rooney in this league — players on this level.”
Rooney has scored 244 goals for United thus far, leaving him just six behind all-time top goalscorer Sir Bobby Charlton. Having already broken the England record, many expect the former Everton starlet to consider his options once he has achieved his ambitions.
The 30-year-old would undoubtedly be too expensive for many European clubs to consider, particularly if the interest from China is real as few will be able to compete with the money being offered.
Jackson Martinez, Ramires and Alex Teixeira have all moved to the Far East in recent weeks with the figures being touted shocking the football world. With China adamant about becoming a real force on the global stage, it remains to be seen which big-name players are persuaded to join the exodus.