Barcelona lend Brazilian midfielder Paulinho to Chinese club Guangzhou

Paulinho, who is 29, first joined Guangzhou from Tottenham Hotspur in 2015, playing 84 matches and scoring 22 goals before leaving for Barcelona in 2017.

Belgium's Eden Hazard, left, and Brazil's Paulinho challenge for the ball during the quarterfinal match between Brazil and Belgium at the 2018 soccer World Cup in the Kazan Arena, in Kazan, Russia, Friday, July 6, 2018. | AP

PARIS: Barcelona have loaned midfielder Paulinho, a starter in the Brazil side knocked out by Belgium in the  World Cup quarter-finals, to former club Guangzhou Evergrande, the Chinese Super League champions announced on Sunday.

"Guangzhou Evergrande confirm Paulinho has returned to the club after one season at Barcelona," the club tweeted.

Paulinho, who is 29, first joined Guangzhou from Tottenham Hotspur in 2015, playing 84 matches and scoring 22 goals before leaving for Barcelona in 2017. He scored nine goals in 34 La Liga appearances for the Catalan giants last season.