Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Nanjing: Chinese Super League outfit Jiangsu FC have pulled off a sensational transfer deal after signing Brazil international Ramires from English giants Chelsea ahead of their AFC Champions League campaign.
The move, which will see Ramires head to the Nanjing Olympic Sports Center after making 251 appearances in his five-and-a-half years at the Blues, is widely reported to have cost Jiangsu a fee of £25million.
During his time at Stamford Bridge, the 28-year-old won every major domestic and continental trophy on offer, including being part of the side that were crowned European champions in 2012.
However, he has subsequently fallen down the pecking order, and has not made a single league start under new Chelsea manager Guus Hiddink.
Jiangsu are currently managed by ex-Chelsea and Romania right-back Dan Petrescu, who began his coaching career immediately after retirement in 2003 and arrived in China to join the club last July.
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Within months, he led them to their first significant piece of silverware with victory in the Chinese FA Cup, which was enough to also hand them a place in this year’s AFC Champions League.
Jiangsu have already been drawn in Group E and will face off against Korea Republic’s Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, Vietnamese side Becamex Binh Duong and another team that will be decided through the qualifiers.
Nonetheless, Ramires’ arrival does give Petrescu the small problem of having to decide who his four foreign players will be for the tournament, considering the club currently have six imports on their books.
Apart from their new high-profile signing, other notable names at Petrescu’s disposal include ex-Juventus striker Amauri and Brazilian-born Croatian playmaker Sammir, who previously played for Dinamo Zagreb and Getafe.
The other foreign players are Iceland centre-back Solvi Otteson, Australia international Trent Sainsbury and former Urawa Reds and FC Seoul attacker Sergio Escudero.
Photo: AFP