Van der Vaart linked with China move

Real Betis midfielder Rafael van der Vaart could become the next high-profile footballer to move to Chinese Super League, according to Bild.

The 33-year-old joined los Verdiblancos as a marquee signing last summer, but he has utterly failed to prove his worth in Spanish La Liga, making just seven league appearances for the club.

And with Real Betis sporting director Eduardo Macia admitting that “Van der Vaart just did not work”, the short spell at Estadio Benito Villamarin appears to be drawing to a close.

At the same time, Bild has learned that the former Real Madrid footballer could be the subject of a lucrative bid from China, with the transfer window in world’s most populous country open for another two weeks.

It is believed that van der Vaart would seriously consider any such proposal as disappointing spells with Hamburg and Real Betis appear to have left a mark on the experienced footballer.