Portguese football club Sporting Lisbon midfielder Elias could be the latest Brazil international to join a Chinese Super League club, according to media reports.
Tianjin Teda officials have met with their Sporting counterparts in recent days and are prepared to spend eight million euros ($10.5 million) to secure the 31-year-old, according to Portguese portal Uol Esporte, reports Xinhua.
Elias has been used sparingly by Sporting coach Jorge Jesus since his three million-euro (around $3.9 million) move from Brazil's Corinthians in August.
Elias, who has been capped 35 times for Brazil, was linked to Tianjin Teda's Chinese rivals Hebei Fortune and Shandong Luneng earlier this year.
Other current and former Brazil internationals to join Chinese clubs in recent times include Renato Augusto (Beijing Guoan), Paulinho (Guangzhou Evergrande) and Luis Fabiano (Tianjin Quanjian).
--IANS
sam/vt