Barrios leaves China for Spartak Moscow

Spartak Moscow have agreed a deal to sign Paraguayan striker Lucas Barrios from Guangzhou Evergrande for a fee of €7million.

The 28-year-old’s switch will be completed upon agreeing personal terms and passing a medical.

Barrios moved to China in May 2012 after winning the Bundesliga, but struggled to hold down a regular place with the run-away Chinese Super League leaders, despite a decent return of 13 goals in 32 appearances.

The striker had claimed in an interview with German magazine Kicker earlier this year that he had not been paid on time by Guangzhou and that he was looking to cancel his contract in order to return to Germany.

The Chinese club riled at the claims, which were investigated by FIFA.

An official verdict is unlikely to be reached, however, with Guangzhou announcing their intention to “withdraw its charges once the transfer procedure is done” in a statement confirming their acceptance of Spartak’s offer.

With Barrios’ future uncertain in China, he had been linked heavily with a move to Werder Bremen, but he has instead switched to the Russian capital.

Spartak were in the market for forward reinforcements after Nigerian striker Emmanuel Emenike’s move to Fenerbahce.

Barrios has scored six times in 21 international appearances, having made his name with a hugely prolific spell in Chile with Colo-Colo before moving to Signal Iduna Park in 2009.