Wolverhampton Wanderers are reportedly making a shock move to bring Shanghai SIPG star Wu Lei to the Premier League.
The cynics will no doubt argue that Wolverhampton Wanderers’ reported interest in Wu Lei is nothing more than an attempt from their Chinese owners to make the newly promoted club more marketable in the Far East.
But that would not be taking into account Lei’s remarkable statistics in Asian football.
According to the Express and Star, the shock target is the highest goal-scorer in the history of Shanghai SIPG with 155 in 328 games. He has been included in the Super League’s Team of the Year on four occasions and won the Golden Boot five times.
Did we mention Lei became the youngest debutant in the history of Chinese football when he made his first-team bow at the age of 14?
No wonder the former Chelsea midfielder Oscar, who has been playing alongside Lei at SIPG since his £52m move from Chelsea in 2017, has such high praise.
As reported by BeSoccer, the Brazil international has dubbed Lei ‘the best Chinese player’ and, more pertinently, ‘China’s Maradona’.
Being compared to one of, if not the, best footballer in the history of the game is some praise. And it perhaps suggests that interest from Wolverhampton Wanderers is more than a hollow publicity stunt decided to sell those famous golden shirts in China.
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