Barcelona Transfer News: Paulinho Returns to Guangzhou Evergrande

Chinese Super League side Guangzhou Evergrande announced on Sunday that Brazilian midfielder Paulinho has returned to the club from Barcelona on a one-year loan deal:

ESPN's Samuel Marsden added:

The 29-year-old heads back to China after just one season at the Camp Nou where he played a key role in helping Ernesto Valverde's side win La Liga and the Copa del Rey last season.

Barcelona's capture of Paulinho in summer 2017 for €40 million was seen as a surprise. The Brazilian was not considered to be an elite player, and it appeared to be a big price for a midfielder thought to be past his best.

The Brazilian was also not seen as a player who suited the club's intricate style of play. Paulinho's game is more about power, and he is known for his late runs into the box.

His presentation at the club also brought ridicule as he miscontrolled his kick-ups, which seemed further evidence that Barcelona had made an expensive mistake.

However, Paulinho went on to prove himself on the pitch with some impressive displays as Valverde switched to a 4-4-2 system. 

He scored his first goal for Barcelona against Eibar in only his third La Liga appearance and followed that up with a goal and an assist in his next outing.

Opta showed how he had a knack of scoring late in games:

His performances slowly began to quieten his critics as he proved he had the quality to be an effective performer for the Catalan giants. Paulinho may not be a typical Barcelona player but he added another dimension to the team and offered them a more direct attacking option.

The 29-year-old made 34 appearances in La Liga and contributed nine goals and two assists as Barcelona won the title by 14 points from Atletico Madrid.

Paulinho was also part of the Brazil squad that made it to the last 16 of the 2018 FIFA World Cup before being knocked out by Belgium. He is a key player for the national team under manager Tite and scored in the 2-0 win over Serbia.

After the Selecao's exit he said he had received offers to leave Barcelona from China and a European club, per Sport. Barcelona have reportedly been offered €50 million for the midfielder which would see them make a big profit, per Sport.

Paulinho's departure from Barcelona after just one season is a surprise but may also have come about because of a lack of non-EU spots in their squad. The club have only three non-EU slots available, and they have been occupied by Paulinho, Philippe Coutinho and Yerry Mina. Per Xavi Hernandez at Marca midfielder Arthur is expected to arrive from Gremio, which means the club needed to move on one of those players.