Paulinho's sudden trip to Guangzhou in the bitterly cold month of December sparked suspicion among many fans. Some speculated that he might have come to claim his salary from his old employer, others thought he might be involved in some kind of activity, and some fans even expected him to return to the Chinese Super League. However, the truth has already been revealed, as Jose, the former translator for Evergrande, has already explained a short while ago.
Speaking of his return, the Evergrande interpreter summed it up with the words "pure fun" (see below). He wrote on his personal social media platform: "Many friends asked about Paulie. This time, Paulie and his family and friends came to China to spend Christmas and New Year. No commercial activities, purely for fun."
Although it's just one sentence, it reveals multiple layers of information: first, Paulinho is not alone, but traveling with family and friends. Secondly, he said that he will accompany his family and friends to spend Christmas and New Year in China, in other words, he will return to Brazil after New Year's Day. Finally, the trip has no commercial purpose and is purely for entertainment.
Therefore, the 35-year-old Paulinho's return is not for the purpose of joining the Guangzhou team or returning to the Chinese Super League, but rather as a friend who is here for a visit. This news may disappoint many fans, especially Evergrande fans.
In fact, the translation's explanation should be plausible. Judging by the photo from a former Evergrande teammate (see above), Paulinho returned with at least two sons. Another child in the front row could be Huang Bowen's son.
In addition, Paulinho was interviewed by Feng Xiaoting, during which he unconsciously shouted his trademark catchphrase - "Are you confident?"
Even though it was just a trip, Paulinho was still grateful to his old boss. Upon his arrival in Guangzhou, he purposely chose to stay at a hotel close to the Tianhe Sports Center. He then 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 "Thanksgiving + 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, a few years less than Oscar in Hong Kong. However, Paulinho is not recognized as the number one when it comes to selecting the best foreigners in the Chinese Super League.
The reason? Because comparisons are not only based on time, but also on the player's contribution to the team and the Chinese Super League. Paulinho dwarfs Oscar in the honor of helping his team win the AFC Champions League alone.
Oscar has played in Hong Kong for 7 years, earning nearly 160 million euros, but has only brought the team 2 Chinese Super League titles, and those are still two controversial titles.
Currently, Paulinho is still under multiple contracts with Barclays Premier League giants Corinthians. It would not be impossible for a Chinese Super League team to extend an offer to him at this point. After all, Zheng Zhi can play until 40 years old, Paulinho can also play until 36 years old, or even 37 years old. At this stage, the possibility of the Chinese Super League teams contacting the foreign aid introduction should not be ignored. Let's wait and see.
