Former Borussia Dortmund striker Lucas Barrios has accused Guangzhou Evergrande of failing to pay his full salary in the latest high-profile wage dispute involving a star foreign player in the Chinese Super League.
The Paraguay international is embroiled in a heated contract row with the super-rich club, drawing parallels with former Chelsea star Didier Drogba’s tumultuous exit from Shanghai Shenhua.
Barrios angered the league champions and current league leaders when he flew home for a match against Chile which took place in early June and did not return to China until last Friday.
The forward was recently linked with a move back to the Bundesliga with Werder Bremen.
Last month, media reports in Germany and Argentina suggesting Barrios had asked football governing body Fifa to terminate his contract as Evergrande had defaulted on payments drew a furious response from the club.
“It was utterly ridiculous. The club made every payment clear and on time,” a club official previously told state news agency Xinhua, adding that neither Barrios nor his agent had contacted the club during the player’s absence.
Evergrande, managed by former Italian World Cup-winning coach Marcello Lippi, have approached Fifa, demanding 25 million euros (HK$251million) in compensation, Xinhua said.