Carlos Tevez becomes world's highest-paid footballer

Shanghai Shenhua confirm deal to sign Argentine striker

SHANGHAI: Argentina's former Manchester United and Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez has signed for Shanghai Shenhua in the latest big-money Chinese deal, the club said Thursday.

The acquisition of the 32-year-old from Buenos Aires side Boca Juniors will "greatly enhance" the team's front line, Shenhua said on a verified social media account.

"The club looks forward to Tevez helping Greenland Shenhua attack cities and strike stockades in Asian and domestic matches and contribute to more exciting games for fans," it added.

The club did not put a value on the transaction, but Argentine media previously reported Tevez would make $84 million over two years under the contract — 20 times his previous earnings.

Tevez will join the rest of the squad, who are on the Japanese island of Okinawa, after passing a medical, according to Shenhua.

The side are coached by former Uruguay international Gus Poyet.

The move makes Tevez the latest international name, many of them South American, lured to Chinese football for eye-watering sums of money.

Crosstown rivals Shanghai SIPG, coached by former Tottenham Hotspur manager Andre Villas-Boas, last week agreed a reported £60 million deal for Chelsea's 25-year-old Brazilian midfielder Oscar.

Before the Oscar deal, Chinese Super League clubs had already splashed out more than $400 million on players this year, after President Xi Jinping laid out a vision of turning the country into a football power.

Chinese teams broke the Asian record three times in just 10 days in the January-February transfer window, where they also surpassed the previous record deal of Brazil's Hulk, who joined SIPG for €55.8 million in July.

Significantly, Chinese clubs are now competing with European rivals for world-class players, who are opting for astronomical pay packets over the chance of a career in football's top leagues.