Many fans were left wondering why Paulinho suddenly returned to the city in the cold and windy month of December. Rumors abounded, with some speculating that he was claiming his old employer's salary, others guessing that he might have come to participate in a certain activity, and some fans even speculated that he might be returning to the Chinese Super League. However, the truth has been revealed and Jose, a former translator for Evergrande FC, has recently shed light on the situation.
Speaking about his homecoming, the Evergrande interpreter summed it up with the words "pure fun" (see below). He shared on his personal social media platform, "Many friends asked about Paulie. This time, Paulie and his family and friends came to China to celebrate Christmas and New Year. There is no commercial matter, it is purely for fun."
Although this is just a passing remark, it reveals multiple things: firstly, Paulinho is not coming back alone, but with his family and friends. Secondly, he said that he will bring his family and friends to China to celebrate the festive season, in other words, he will return to Brazil after New Year's Day. Thirdly, the trip has no commercial purpose, but is purely for pleasure.
In other words, the 35-year-old Paulinho's trip was not for the purpose of participating in the activities of the Guangzhou team or returning to the Chinese Super League, but rather, he came to visit as a friend. Numerous fans may feel sorry for this news, especially Evergrande fans.
In fact, the translation should be interpreted accurately. 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 if it is only a short trip, Paulinho is 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. Then, he stood on the high floor of the hotel overlooking the Tianhe Sports Center (see picture below) and posted a picture on his personal social media platform, which reads "Gratitude + Prayer Blessing". This shows that Paulinho is a person who knows how to be grateful.
Paulinho has only been with Guangzhou Evergrande for about five years, a shorter period than Oscar, who played in Hong Kong. However, when it comes to the best foreigners in the Chinese Super League, Paulinho may not be second best.
The reason? Because the evaluation is not only based on the 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 leaves Oscar in the dust.
Oscar has played in Hong Kong for 7 years, earning nearly 160 million euros, but has brought only 2 Chinese Super League titles to the team, and both of them were controversial.
Currently, Paulinho still has several contracts with Barclays Premier League powerhouse Corinthians. It would not be surprising if the Chinese Super League team throws an olive branch to him at this time. After all, if Zheng Jiabao can play until he is 40, Paulinho can also play until he is 36 or even 37. At this stage, there is a high probability that the Chinese Super League teams will bring in foreign aiders, so we'll see what happens.
