Jack Ma's Chinese football club is reportedly plotting a €100 million bid for a European superstar
- Chinese football club Guangzhou Evergrande reportedly wants to sign a big-name player from Europe.
- Reports from China and Germany indicate that the club wants to sign Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang or Gareth Bale.
- Backed by Alibaba billionaire Jack Ma, Guangzhou Evergrande could spend close to €100 million ($119 million / £88 million) in the coming weeks.
Chinese Super League (CSL) club Guangzhou Evergrande is reportedly targeting a big-name footballer from Europe.
Guangzhou Evergrande has been linked with Borussia Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale.
The club, backed by Alibaba billionaire Jack Ma, wants to buy at least one of the players in a €95 million ($113 million / £84 million) show of strength.
According to the South China Morning Post, Guangzhou Evergrande wants Aubameyang and is unconcerned by the Chinese government's 100% tax on foreign imports.
Aubameyang, 28, is considered to be one of the best players in the world. He has returned 100 goals in his last 118 appearances for Dortmund, and has a market valuation of €64.7 million ($77 million / £57 million), according to football think-tank CIES Football Observatory.
Guangzhou Evergrande will test Dortmund's resolve by offering €70 million ($84 million / £62 million) for Aubameyang, the South China Morning Post reports.
Daily German newspaper Bild disagrees and claims Guangzhou Evergrande is not after Aubameyang but will instead pursue Real attacking midfielder Bale for €95 million.
Bale, also 28, has been plagued by injury over the past 18 months but when he has been fit, he has been an effective attacker with six goals and three assists in eight starts so far this season.
Events company Soccerex recently ranked Guangzhou Evergrande fourth in its list of the most economically powerful football clubs on the planet.
Chinese Super League clubs have acquired a taste for players plying their trade in Europe in recent years, including stars like Oscar who joined Shanghai SIPG from Chelsea in January 2016.