Brazilian football star Paulinho has denied rumors that he may be traded from the Guangzhou Evergrande to a European club, according to the Daily Mail. Teams reported to be interested in the 28-year-old midfielder include Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
"These transfer rumors are a part of football," Paulinho told reporters. "My agent might have received inquiries from some European clubs. But I like where I am, and I have been having a good time with my teammates and coaches. I'd like to stay here to win more titles with Evergrande."
If there was any doubt as to the sincerity of his announcement, Evergrande did their best to squelch it with a statement of their own: “Hereby we officially announce that Guangzhou Evergrande has never received an offer for Paulinho. Paulinho has signed a contract extension with Guangzhou Evergrande in January 2017 and he is a key player in the club's long-term plan.”
Paulinho’s proclamation of loyalty comes in the wake of negative press over photos of the star promoting Letou, an Asian betting company targeting China, with Japanese porn star Tsukasa Aoi. The images were allegedly captured at the married footballer’s Guangzhou apartment.
Both pornography and gambling are prohibited in China, so the images were inconvenient for both the midfielder and his team – which condemned him for his Letou endorsement. He has reportedly cut ties with the gambling company.
According to a report by Sina Sports, the compromising images of the star were published by the gambling company without his knowledge and he was unaware the girl he was posing with was a porn star. The same story also states Paulinho may still face deportation.
READ MORE: Evergrande’s Paulinho Scores Unbelievable 40-yard Goal
[Images via China.org.cn, Thatsmags.com]
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