Brazillian Ace Hulk joins Russian giants Zenit St Petersburg

Chelsea target Hulk has joined ambitious Russian Premier League side Zenit St Petersburg, according to the side’s official website. The Brazil international has impressed for Porto over the last four years, playing a key role in the Estadio do Dragao side’s success both domestically and in Europe.
Chelsea had initially identified the South American forward as a possible replacement for the outgoing Didier Drogba, and earlier in the summer a switch to Stamford Bridge looked likely for the burly attacker.
However, negotiations with Porto broke down and in the end the Blues did not buy a new striker, allowing Hulk to pursue other options.
Zenit have confirmed that the player will move to them on a five-year contract for an undisclosed fee.
However last week Porto president Pinto da Costa revealed that the Portuguese outfit had refused an offer of €50m from Zenit, and as such the potential fee is believed to be more than that

 

This is extremely dissapointing, would have loved to see him in La Liga or the Premiership.

Actually thought he'd be the perfect signing for Barcelona.

 

Poor move for him, at this stage of his career he should be looking to move to one of the 'big' clubs to challenge for honours, not moving to Russia for money.

 

Porto are a big club competing for honours, they are a massive club competiting for honours actually. So he has been doing that for the last few years, he should be looking to challenge himself at the very top level of the game. Something neither Portugal or Russia are.

 

Did not see him moving there at all. Not a great move for him to be honest.

 

The premier league especially city and chelsea are being shown that money isnt everything

Could have trouble attracting players in later years if the likes of PSG et al rise in prominence

Notwithstanding i couldnt see what the fuss was about personally, fifty million? Come on like?



Sent from using Tapatalk 2

 

That's what I mean, a team competing for the top honours, ie the Champions League, La Liga and EPL.

How is a €50M mercenary move to Russia showing that money isn't everything?

 

It shows quite the opposite.

 

He's went for the money, knowing that he's still got plenty years left in him and will probably still get the opportunity to play for a huge club competing for top honours.

Personally, I wanted to see him at a club I'll watch regularly.

 

How can people say it's a * move? Zenit are in the CL and are leading the Russian Premier league just now.

 

It's a * move the same way Templeton/Black etc to Sevco is a * move - because it isn't done to further their careers, it's done to further their bank balance.

 

Well, people were saying that about Man City 24 months ago - now they are one of the 'big' clubs.

And if Zenit keep throwing that sort of cash about, and keep signing players like Hulk and Witsel, they will be too.

 

Obviously that's a factor too but what players don't do that? It's totally different from Templeton/Black to Sevco. Hulk has moved to the top team in a superior league. He's on higher wages yes but he had no offers from anyone else. Don't understand how anyone can criticise this move?

 

The Russian league won't be though, it's not a desirable destination for many top footballers when compared to Spain or England.

Although the econimical crisis in Spain may scupper that.

 

I mean when you look at it, the current European Champions aren't actually a "big" club themselves.

They're a mid-sized club with a mega-rich owner, like Man City.

Liverpool are a big club, in the original sense, and they're in the relegation zone.

Even Real Madrid have only got where they are at the moment by throwing obscene amounts of money at it over the last few years.

I think the days when the term "big club" actually meant anything are gone. It's only "big money" that determines success.

 

I don't see the top players going to Russia because it isn't a desirable destination like England or Spain. It's somewhere you go for money but I can't see the league becoming one of the biggies.

I think it's debatable that Russia is a better league than Portugal. It certainly isn't as good a shop window as Portugal. I don't think this move, or Witsels can be cut as anything other than a mercenary move - both are players who could go to top European clubs.

Sadly, you are probably right, but I still take a fairly traditional view of what constitutes a big club. Chelsea could win the next 10 CLs and they will never be one, because of how they got there. City are the same.

 

Not every player wants to play in England or Spain, get over it. I hope he does well.

 

31m for Witsel? He`s good but Jesus christ, he`s nowhere near 31m. That was fantastic business by Benfica

 

No, of course not, but I think it's fair to say that most want to be the best they can be, to compete for the top honours, and Russia isn't going to allow him to do either.

 

What a * depressing post this is.

* you Hand, * you right in the ear