The Austrian forward will be tasked helping fire the Chinese Super League side to their first AFC Champions League title and, if he can do so, he would join a list of players who have gone on to lift the coveted trophy.

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The 29-year-old, who began his career in Brazil's Vitoria in 2009 before transferring to Botafogo two years later, first arrived in Guangzhou in 2013.

He had an instant effect, assisting Guangzhou to their third Chinese Super League title in 2013, and remained a pivotal player for the next two years as they clinched back-to-back titles in 2014 and 2015.

The Austrian scored 22 goals in 65 appearances in two seasons at the Hammers, but has been linked with a move to China since January.

El Shaarawy - nicknamed The Pharoah because of his Egyptian ancestry - had only a year left on his contract with the Serie A club, having joined Roma in 2016 from AC Milan after a loan spell in Monaco.

Capped 23 times for Italy, he scored 11 goals in Serie A last season as Roma finished sixth and qualified for the Europa League.

The 60-year-old former Korea Republic international is a two-time AFC Champions League winner when he coached Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors to Continental glory in 2006 and 2016, as well as six successive K League 1 titles.

Choi has a deep understanding of the Chinese Super League, having managed two other Chinese top-tier teams, Tianjin Quanjian last year, and most recently Dalian Yifang.

The 2016 AFC Coach of the Year, will be tasked to turn the Shanghai-based club around, as they are currently tied with Shenzhen FC and Hebei CF on 12 points, hovering just above the relegation zone.

In separate comments posted on both his own and the club's websites, the 2005 Champions League winner with Liverpool said he had been approached on previous occasions about a move to China PR but that nothing lined up quite like Dalian's offer.