Brazil forward Robinho joins Guangzhou Evergrande in Chinese Super League

Brazilian veteran Robinho will join Luiz Felipe Scolari’s Guangzhou Evergrande, the Chinese soccer champions announced on Thursday, reuniting the pair after the ex-Real Madrid player was left off Scolari’s World Cup roster.

“Big Phil” enticed the 31-year-old to China “for a contract period of six months”, an Evergrande statement said. It is likely to be a lucrative deal for Robinho, following Scolari’s (US$15.7m) capture of fellow Brazilian Paulinho last month.

Robinho was one of the big names left out of Scolari’s squad for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, despite playing against Chile in a friendly only two months before the team was announced.

He has since been recalled to the national squad by Scolari’s successor, Dunga, and scored last month in Brazil’s final Copa America match, a disappointing quarter-final exit to Paraguay.

Robinho arrives in China from Brazilian club Santos, where he spent last season on loan from Italian powerhouse AC Milan.

He joined Milan five years ago from Premier League big-spenders Manchester City, following a spell at Spanish giants Real Madrid.

Guangzhou, who are in the quarter-finals of the AFC Champions League, are aiming to clinch a fifth successive Chinese Super League title this year, and sit second in the CSL, one point behind leaders Beijing Guoan.