Wolfsburg midfielder Luiz Gustavo. (Photo : Getty Images)
Wolfsburg defensive midfielder Luis Gustavo admitted that he is "open" to a Chinese Super League move to Guangzhou Evergrande this summer, recent reports say.
The 28-year-old Brazil international is reportedly ready to join the China top flight's defending champions in the summer after playing for the Bundesliga side for three seasons. He is also said to be a long-time target of his former Brazil head coach, World Cup-winning manager Luiz Felipe Scolari, as reported by ESPN.
"Everything's possible these days," said Gustavo when asked whether he could be the next big-name South American footballer to join the Chinese Super League revolution.
"Many good players made the switch to the Chinese league recently, and they will get even more aggressive. You always have to be open but, like I said, you can only make a decision if something's concrete," he added.
Gustavo was tagged by his current mother club with a release clause of €25 million, something that can easily be paid by the top CSL squads especially after the league went through a multi-million spending spree during the recent winter transfer window.
The Chinese transfer record was broken four times just this winter as CSL teams began unleashing their cash power to lure top-notch world football stars to their fold.
Shanghai SIPG snagged Elkeson from Guangzhou Evergrande for €18.5 million in January then Jiangsu Suning acquired Ramires from English Premier League side Chelsea a week later for €32 million.
After that, Guangzhou bought Jackson Martinez from Atletico Madrid for €42 million during the first week of February before Jiangsu finally established the record once again at €50 million with the signing of Alex Teixeira from Shakhtar Donetsk two days later.
Meanwhile, Die Wölfe manager Dieter Hecking said that he is "confident of keeping the midfielder", who is under contract with the German squad until the year 2018, moving forward.
Gustavo did not give an assurance of the China transfer, though, saying that he is not sure of the future and "anything can happen".
"I don't know. In football, anything can happen. If something comes up, I'll have to consider what I do. Right now, I am leaving everything open," Gustavo said.
According to HITC, the 6-foot-2 Pindamonhangaba, Brazil native is also being courted by English club Arsenal FC as veteran manager Arsene Wenger looks to improve his midfield from both ends of the pitch.
