Chinese midfielder Chang Bao set to have trial with Botafogo

Chinese midfielder Chang Bao is set to have trial with Campeonato Brasileiro Série B side Botafogo. The 26 year-old has been training with the club since May and will now be offered the chance to earn a permanent contract.  He came to the attention of Botafogo scouts due to his good performances whilst playing for Paulista in […]
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sambafoot_admin
2015-06-05 12:22:00

Chinese midfielder Chang Bao is set to have trial with Campeonato Brasileiro Série B side Botafogo.

The 26 year-old has been training with the club since May and will now be offered the chance to earn a permanent contract. 

He came to the attention of Botafogo scouts due to his good performances whilst playing for Paulista in the Campeonato Carioca Second Level.

Bao has been living in Brazil since 2005 and would become the second Chinese player to be secured by Botafogo, following on from Tang Shi.

The 20 year-old, who will not be retained, has represented the club’s youth teams and reportedly went for a trial with Real Madrid earlier this year.

For Botafogo President Carlos Eduardo Pereira, pursuing these types of deals with Chinese players can be beneficial to his club, especially off the field.

“It"s a question of improving commercial ties with China in relation to the Olympics and football," he said, as reported by website Xinhuanet.

The first Brazilian club to complete a deal with a Chinese player was Corinthians. They signed midfielder Chen Zhizhao [now at Beijing Guoan] on loan from Shanghai Shenxin in February 2012.

Before returning back to his parent club in December 2013, the 27 year-old featured just twice for Corinthians, but the move was still considered a success, due to the exposure he received in China.