Lavezzi
Paris Saint-Germain manager Laurent Blanc said he may be forced to delay Ezequiel Lavezzi’s move to China until after UEFA Champions League round of 16 tie against Chelsea on Feb. 16. Reuters/Benoit Tessier

Paris Saint-Germain could keep hold of Ezequiel Lavezzi until after the French club’s UEFA Champions League round of 16 tie with Premier League giant Chelsea on Feb. 16.

Lavezzi is expected to join the growing list of international players in China after Chinese Super League club Shanghai Shenhua offered the former Napoli £7.5 million. However, with Blaise Matuidi and Javier Pastore struggling for fitness, PSG could be forced to keep Lavezzi for their Champions League tie against Chelsea.

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"The club is discussing it with Pocho's people," PSG manager Laurent Blanc said, reports ESPN FC. "We'll have to think about it, given that if we lose one player we won't be able to replace him. So if tomorrow I find we have some attackers with muscle problems... in that case definitely, we'll have to reflect on it."

Lavezzi, also known as Pocho, was supposed to see out his contract at Parc des Princes before joining either Chelsea or Inter Milan in the summer. Talksport reported that Inter’s acting vice-president Javier Zanetti had persuaded fellow Argentine Lavezzi to join the Italian side, but Shanghai Shenhua’s hefty payday deal appears too good to turn down for the Argentine international.

Meanwhile, there is another football club who is trying to prevent their player from moving to China. According to the Mirror, EPL club Newcastle United boss Steve McClaren has urged Cheick Tiote to turn down a move to Shanghai Shenhua and instead help the club’s current campaign.

"Tiote has only been back training [following a knee injury] with us for two days but he's 100 percent committed," McClaren said, reports Tribal Football. "If he keeps his composure and passes simply, he's a very good player. I hope he stays now."

Shanghai offer of £8 million to the Ivorian international fell through last month, but with China’s transfer deadline open until Feb. 26, there is a chance Tiote could move to another Far Eastern club.

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