Chinese chase Wood
Chinese Super League club Tianjin Quanjian are reportedly chasing Leeds United ‘s Kiwi striker Chris Wood.
ESPN FC reported that Wood has become a target following the Chinese club’s failure to sign Chelsea’s Diego Costa.
The 25-year-old New Zealander, who has scored 17 Championship goals for Leeds this season, is also reportedly on the wish-lists of Swansea City and Wolfsburg.
Tianjin Quanjian made an offer to Costa of $984,000 per week but the deal was scuppered by new rules limiting Chinese clubs to fielding just three imports per game.
The club have already signed Monaco striker Radamel Falcao, 30, and Benfica forward Raul Jimenez, 25.
Wood has played for 10 English clubs since joining West Brom from Hamilton Wanderers in 2009.
Leeds signed him from Leicester for about $5 million in the summer of 2015, and this season his goals have helped fire Garry Monk’s team into contention for promotion as they sit third.
Chinese football is awash with money after the country announced it determination to become a footballing powerhouse but figures such as Arsene Wenger have warned it will take years before a football culture emerges.
Argentina striker Carlos Tevez arrived in China this week after signing a huge deal and was promptly mobbed by Shanghai Shenhua fans at the airport.