Friday 17 March 2017 16:46, UK
Tianjin Quanjian manager Fabio Cannavaro claims he was offered the chance to sign Manchester United midfielder Marouane Fellaini in the January transfer window.
Fellaini recently signed a one-year extension with Manchester United that will keep him at the club until 2018.
However, the Belgium international has started just three Premier League games since October and has largely been used as a substitute by Jose Mourinho.
Speaking ahead of the new Chinese Super League season, which gets underway live on Sky Sports this weekend, Cannavaro says he passed up on the chance to sign Fellaini.
"Marouane Fellaini was offered to us," he is quoted as saying by Sportwereld. "But I told his agent that I am looking for a different type of player."
Cannavaro also claimed Everton striker Romelu Lukaku, who is the Premier League's joint-top goalscorer this season with 17 goals, would be "perfect" for the CSL.
"The problem is Everton - they do not just let him go," said the former Italy international. "The fact that Lukaku is younger, is not the problem.
"Lukaku could be perfect to China. Look at Oscar. He is 25 and swapped Chelsea for Shanghai SIPG. Why? Because football is football in the world. Every player wants to play at a club that wins."
Watch the start of the new Chinese Super League season live on Sky Sports this weekend.
