Brazilian-born Italian striker Eder Citadin Martins, more popularly known as Eder, reportedly turned down a huge offer from Chinese Super League club Jiangsu Suning FC worth more than €4 million per year.
Football Italia reported that Jiangsu is ready to pay Italian Serie A club UC Sampdoria, Eder's current home team, his release clause of €10 million "plus performance related bonuses", but the 29-year-old was said to be not keen on moving to Asia at this point of his career.
The report continued that the Lauro Müller, Brazil native is "heavily linked" to top Serie A squad Inter Milan.
Meanwhile, I Blucerchiati president Massimo Ferrero that the club "fought off" a "massive bid" from Jiangsu to keep Eder.
"I'm not selling anyone. Eder just had a gigantic offer from China and they were going to give us a lot of money too," Ferrero admitted, as reported by Tribal Football. "As far as I'm concerned the players are like my children and they can all stay."
Although Sampdoria is dedicated on keeping all their players as long as they can, Ferrero clarified that they are free to decide whether they want to stay or not.
However, he disclosed that what is upsetting him is the supposition that the Genoa club is a "second-rate" team that accepts small bids for their best players.
"But the request to leave must come from the players themselves, when and if they receive a really good offer," he added. "It bothers me that Sampdoria is seen as a second-rate club. If Eder were sold by a big team he'd cost €30 million, while we're offered small change. So I'll just keep him."