Former Brazil manager Luiz Felipe Scolari has signed a two-and-a-half year contract to coach Chinese side Guangzhou Evergrande, his press adviser said on Thursday.
Scolari, who left Gremio last month after a poor start to the Brazilian league season, turned down offers from clubs in Russia and Turkey to try his luck on the mainland.
He replaced Italian Fabio Cannavaro and will be the second top Brazilian coach in the league alongside Cuca, who manages Shandong Luneng.
The 65-year old Scolari will join four other Brazilians at Guangzhou. Midfielder Rene Junior and forwards Alan, Elkeson and Ricardo Goulart play for the club.
This will be Scolari’s fifth Asian posting having previously worked in Japan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Uzbekistan and he will hope to put his recent Brazilian reverses behind him.
Scolari was Brazil coach when they crashed out in the World Cup semi-finals 7-1 to Germany on home soil last year but he also coached Brazil to World Cup victory in 2002.