RIO DE JANEIRO: Veteran Brazilian striker Fred is set to join Argentine clubmate Mario Conca by joining the growing ranks of South Americans blazing a trail to China, according to reports Thursday in Globo.
According to the media giant, Conca has received an "offer you can't refuse" from Shanghai Dongya and is prepared to return to the Chinese league, where he previously starred for Guangzhou Evergrande between 2001 and 2013.
Fred, meanwhile, who flopped at the World Cup in the number nine shirt for Brazil, is also China-bound, although Globo did not reveal which club was chasing the 31-year-old, top scorer in the Brazilian league last year.
"There is a proposal from China," said Fred's agent Francis Melo, adding he was in daily contact with Fluminense officials.
The striker has been with the club for five years, having previously spent four years with French side Lyon.
Numerous Brazilian club sides are struggling financially and Fluminense have been hit by the recent withdrawal of Brazil's main private health insurance operator Unimed as sponsor after 15 years.
Unimed paid a large chunk of player salaries as well as image rights for stars such as Fred and Conca.
If the pair do head for China, they will join midfielder Ricardo Goulart, just signed by "Southern China Tigers" Evergrande for $13 million.
The same outfit already have two other Brazilians, Rene Junior and Elkenson, in their ranks.
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