Barcelona target Paulinho hopes Guangzhou Evergrande will 'be flexible' and agree to move this week
The Brazilian player states that at Guangzhou Evergrande he has recovered his best game.
Paulinho has told Mundo Deportivo that he hopes his move to Barcelona can be "closed this week." The 28-year-old Brazilian player from Guangzhou Evergrande said, "I hope that if Barcelona comes, Guangzhou will be flexible and we can close the signing this week."
He wants to sign for Barça: "I was a little surprised because Guangzhou hadn't responded to Barcelona yet and it was already in the press here that they had rejected the offer. I haven't been able to speak with my president yet because we traveled to Beijing to play, but I hope that if Barcelona comes, Guangzhou will be flexible and we can close the signing. It's a unique opportunity for me to be able to play with Barcelona, the best team in the world and surrounded by the best players. I have to speak with my president, since I received the proposal from Barcelona I haven't stopped thinking about it and I'm waiting for everything to be resolved this week. I asked my agent to speed things up so that everything can be resolved this week because the transfer window closes here and it wouldn't affect me being able to leave, but it would affect Guangzhou being able to sign my replacement. If the two clubs reach an agreement, my part with Barcelona will be very easy."
He states that he's experiencing a resurgence in his game since being in China: "When I came here in 2015, people said that Chinese football is not good but I arrived, won five titles, recovered my best level, returned to the Brazilian national team where I'm scoring and assisting... It's clear that the Chinese league is not like Spain, England or Italy, but I'm doing a great job here and this year I feel very good, in 25 matches I have scored important goals for Guangzhou."
Even though he's in China, he considers himself to be in a great moment: "If Barcelona is interested in a player who is playing in China, it's because he's good and can play there. I'm in a wonderful moment, scoring 11 goals in 25 matches, four with the national team... I trust myself and my potential, I know my abilities and that's the most important thing. I have to show my work and there people will see how I play and can judge me. I'm clear that I have to improve every day and give my best in every match. It's a unique opportunity for me and if I have to lower my salary to go to Barcelona, it wouldn't be a problem for me"
If you don't know him, he describes himself in this way: "In my career, I have always played as a second midfielder, I like to reach the opponent's area to score goals, help the team in marking. Now I score better, defensively I have grown a lot and I am a player with strength and quality. Thanks to my physique, I can play 90 minutes with a lot of intensity," he concluded.