Brazil-born striker Alan declares 'love' for China

RIO DE JANEIRO - Brazil-born striker Alan has lavished prise on Chinese football and says he has fallen in love with the country he now calls home.

The 30-year-old arrived in China in 2015 after almost five years with Austria's Red Bull Salzburg. He spent four years at Guangzhou Evergrande before being loaned out to Tianjin Tianhai in early 2019.

In February this year, he secured another loan move to Beijing Guoan, with whom he is still waiting to make his league debut.

"China is a country that embraced me, that I love passionately, a fantastic place," said Alan, who is eligible to play for China's national team after gaining citizenship last year.

"It's a first-world country with very receptive people that warmly welcomed my family. We are very happy and have adapted to the culture here. Football in China is faster and in Austria it's more about tactical positioning."

The 2020 Chinese Super League season was suspended before its scheduled start on Feb 22 amid measures to stop the spread of COVID-19.

All 16 clubs have been back in training at their own facilities for more than a month, though a decision has yet to be made on when the season will begin. Alan, who briefly returned to Brazil after the Super League's postponement, described China's response to the pandemic as "very well done".

"I was in China when it started and I came back recently," the former Fluminense player said. "Right from the beginning, everything has been under control with great organization.

"Wherever we went, our temperatures were checked. Then we were isolated with the team until the players were allowed to go back to their countries. I went to Barbosa, in the interior of Sao Paulo state, and spent time with my family, hoping that the situation would improve as quickly as possible."

Alan has not ruled out a return to Brazil in the future and raised the prospect of another spell with Rio de Janeiro giants Fluminense, should the opportunity arise.

"It's the club that opened the doors for me in football," he said. "If one day I return to the country and Fluminense wants me, I would be very happy to go back," he added.