The mystery of Paulinho's return in December is revealed: not solely for wages, but purely for "fun".
Why did Paulinho suddenly return to Guangzhou in this cold winter of December? This question has plagued many fans. Rumors swirled around, some said he was back to ask for his salary from his old boss, some speculated whether he was going to be involved in a certain activity, and some fans even expected him to return to the Chinese Super League. However, the truth has come out and Jose, a former Evergrande club translator, clarified the matter not long ago.
Regarding the homecoming, Everest's translator summed it up in just two words before translating - pure fun (see below)! He posted on his personal social media platform, "Many people ask me about Pauli. This time, Paulinho came to China with his family and friends for Christmas and New Year. No commercial activities, purely for fun."
Although it is just a simple sentence, it reveals a couple of key messages: firstly, Paulinho is not returning to Guangzhou alone, but is traveling with his family and friends. Secondly, he said he will spend Christmas and New Year with his family and friends during this period. In other words, he will return to Brazil after New Year's Day. Thirdly, he has no business activities this time, purely for pleasure.
In other words, the 35-year-old Paulinho will not be involved in any activities of the Guangzhou team or return to the Chinese Super League this time when he returns, and he is only here to enjoy the time as a friend. I'm afraid such news will disappoint many fans, especially Evergrande fans.
In fact, the translator's explanation should be well-founded. According to a photo from a former Evergrande teammate (see above), Paulinho returned with at least two of his sons. Another child in the front row could be Huang Bowen's son.
In addition, Paulinho was interviewed by Feng Xiaoting, during which he inadvertently shouted his trademark catchphrase - "Are you confident?"
Although it was only a short trip, Paulinho was still grateful to his old employer. Upon his arrival in Guangzhou, he chose to stay at a hotel close to the Tianhe Sports Center. He stood on a high floor of the hotel overlooking the Tianhe Sports Center (see photo below) and posted a picture on his personal social media platform with the words "Gratitude + Prayer Blessing" written on it. This shows that Paulinho is a person who knows how to be grateful.
Paulinho played for Guangzhou Evergrande for about five years, which is shorter than Oscar who played in Hong Kong. But when it comes to who is the best foreigner in the Chinese Super League, Paulinho may not deserve it.
The reason? Because evaluations are not only based on length of time, but also on the player's contribution to the team and the Chinese Super League. Paulinho's honor of helping his team win the AFC Champions League alone dwarfs Oscar's.
Oscar has played in Hong Kong for seven years, earning nearly 160 million euros, but has brought only two Chinese Super League titles to the team, and both of them have been quite controversial.
Currently, Paulinho still has a couple of contracts with Barclays Premier League giants Corinthians. I'm afraid it wouldn't be a surprise if a Chinese Super League team extended an offer to him at this point. After all, while Zheng Jiabao will play until he is 40 years old, Paulinho can play until he is 36 or even 37 years old. This stage happens to be the key period for the Chinese Super League teams to contact foreign aid introduction, whether this possibility will arise? Let's wait and see.
