Israeli ace Eran eclipsing CSL’s biggest earners

Guangzhou R&F getting most from bargain Zahavi

SHANGHAI — Chinese clubs made headlines by shelling out millions for the likes of strikers Carlos Tevez, Hulk and Alexandre Pato, but bargain-priced Israeli Eran Zahavi is outgunning them all at the top of the Super League scoring charts.

Zahavi’s feat in smashing 23 CSL goals in 22 starts this season is all the more remarkable when you consider that he plays for a wildly inconsistent Guangzhou R&F side that sits sixth in the 16-team standings.

The Israeli international also cost a fraction of many of his more famous peers, with Guangzhou spending a relatively measly $8.5 million to snare him from Maccabi Tel Aviv in June last year.

And what a signing Zahavi, who can also play attacking midfield, has turned out to be.

His goal haul puts him way ahead of the CSL’s second top scorer, Guangzhou Evergrande’s Brazilian forward Ricardo Goulart (16 goals), and numerous expensive bigname strikers are also trailing behind.

Zahavi celebrated his birthday last month — “I’m 30 years old but I feel like I’m 25” — and is in the form of his life.

“I’m facing new challenges in China, the league here is developing and I try to help Chinese football develop here and around the world,” Zahavi told Chinese soccer app Dongqiudi this week.

His goals — particularly a knack for scoring against Evergrande, R&F’s rival and reigning CSL champion — have made him a fan favorite.

“I really like scoring against them for the team and also for the fans,” said Zahavi, who has plundered four goals in Guangzhou derbies this season.

“The derby is always the most important match of the year and it’s always nice to score goals against the leaders and the best teams.”

Prior to China, Zahavi spent most of his career in Israel, except for an unsuccessful spell in Italy at Palermo, where he scored only twice in two years before moving to Maccabi in 2013.

He is thriving under the offensive-minded management of Dragan Stojkovic, the revered former Yugoslavia international.

“We play a passing game and in most instances we control the game, always scoring goals,” Zahavi said.

“Sometimes we suffer with our defensive game because we go forward too much and don’t think too much about the opponent.

“I think people in China like to see R&F and how we play. I think it’s a very important part of football that the fans enjoy coming to the game.”

Although he is enjoying life and soccer in China, Zahavi admits he misses the UEFA Champions League.

If he carries on at this staggering scoring rate, teams in Europe might come sniffing.

It was in the continent’s premier competition that he scored his most memorable goal — an overhead kick for Hapoel Tel Aviv against Lyon in 2010.

“The goal I scored in the Champions League group stage was very special for me. When I was five years old I asked God to let me have a part in these games and to show my quality to the world and to be famous for football and to try my best,” he said.

“And when you come to this moment and score such a nice goal in the most important competition in the world you just feel proud of yourself.

“All the hard effort I put in had paid off.”

The league here is developing and I try to help Chinese football develop here and around the world.”

Guangzhou R&F’s Israeli striker