Shanghai: Brazilian football powerhouse Hulk was handed Shanghai SIPG’s number eight shirt on Friday but remained coy about the record-breaking chunk of cash they reportedly paid for the honour.
The muscular forward thanked the Chinese club for “investing so much” in his transfer from Russian side Zenit St Petersburg, which reportedly cost €55 million (Dh224.9 million).
Named for his resemblance to a television actor who portrayed the green Marvel comics character, Hulk is the latest high-priced acquisition by a club in the cash-rich Chinese Super League.
The transfer fee was “a record”, he told a press conference in the Chinese commercial hub, without giving details or a specific sum.
“I wish to thank Shanghai and particularly Mr President, for trusting me and for investing so much in my transfer,” said the 29-year-old Brazil international, whose full name is Givanildo Vieira de Sousa.
“I will meet this challenge and give back to Shanghai what Shanghai has invested in me,” he added.
Russian media had said Zenit would be paid around €55 million. That would easily be more than the previous Asian transfer record of €50 million, paid by Jiangsu Suning for Alex Teixeira earlier this year.
Shanghai SIPG are coached by former England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson. The club’s general manager Sui Guoyang said: “A player this excellent like Hulk is what we hoped for.”
