On February 1, nightfall in Brazil, Santos Football Club is in the midst of a tense game. According to UOL, the Barclays Premier League powerhouse is trying to legally secure the speedy addition of Chinese-born player Gao Latter to the team's lineup.
Santos are set to face Corinthians in the São Paulo State League next Wednesday in what could be Golat's debut match since joining the club. Speaking to the media on Monday, Santos supremo Dracena revealed that it is highly unlikely that Golat will feature in the match.
Dracena was confident in the interview, "I am confident that Gallagher will make his debut in his next fight and our legal team is moving forward with this in full force. His training is going well at the moment, he has gone to the immigration office to complete the formalities and we have done everything we can, we are just waiting for the documents to be complete."
Golat, as Santos' key attraction this season, will play the role of a foreigner in the team, although he still holds a Chinese passport.UOL pointed out that the situation of Chinese foreigners in the Brazilian league is very different from that of foreigners from other South American countries, because South American football associations generally have a cooperation agreement with the Brazilian Football Federation (FBF) while the Chinese Football Federation (CFA) does not have a similar agreement with the Brazilian Football Federation (FBF) so South American foreigners don't need to have cumbersome processes to play, while Chinese players do not.
"This out process is intricate and involves multiple parties, so our legal team is working at an accelerated pace to make sure he is able to compete in a timely manner." Dracena added.
Golat was naturalized as a Chinese national while playing for Guangzhou, but was unable to represent the national football team because he did not meet FIFA's eligibility criteria, and eventually chose to return to Brazil to continue his soccer career. (DD)
