Given the recent outbreak of the coronavirus in Wuhan and across China, how much money would it take to get you to move to the epicenter of a pandemic that has infected 74,576 with 2,118 deaths?
For Sevilla vice-captain Daniel Carriço, that price was apparently met.
Carriço left the club he’s called home for seven years to join Wuhan Zall on a $2.16 million transfer on Thursday.
Obrigado, Comandante. #WeareSevilla pic.twitter.com/HW838G5nke
— Sevilla Fútbol Club (@SevillaFC) February 20, 2020
Daniel Carriço joined Sevilla in 2013, first on loan from Reading and later permanently. The 31-year-old Portuguese defender was the club’s longest-tenured player and won three Europa League titles while in Spain.
According to reports, the former Sporting CP player opted for the move to Wuhan for financial reasons. Chinese Super League clubs are unafraid of paying exorbitant salaries to even the most average of European and South American footballers, and in most cases it would be hard to begrudge an athlete with a limited career span for cashing in on a big-money move.
At Wuhan Zall, which completed its first season in the CSL in 2019, Carriço joins former LaLiga striker Léo Baptistão. The club is coached by a Spaniard, José González, who coached Málaga in 2018.
Of course, the question you’re all wondering is whether he’s putting himself at risk to get the coronavirus.
First of all, it should be noted the club left Wuhan on Jan. 2. The club trained mostly in Guangzhou, more than 600 miles from Wuhan. After having been in Guangzhou for longer than the incubation period for the coronavirus, Wuhan Zall trained in Málaga, Spain, without spreading the disease. It is unlikely the club will return to Wuhan anytime soon.
It is true Carriço puts himself at greater risk of contracting the virus in the short term given the current disease density in China compared to Europe. But it’s entirely possible the disease spreads to Europe and becomes just as prevalent there. Plus, it’s important to point out that there are plenty of other diseases that kill around the world too. This flu season, 10,000 Americans have died from 19 million illnesses.
The reality is, Carriço is unlikely to contract the coronavirus and even more unlikely to die to it, unless the numbers out of China are far under-reported.
Of course, no one is playing in the CSL right now. The league has been indefinitely postponed due to the virus outbreak. The league was scheduled to begin play on Feb. 22, but now looks to be on track for a start on April 3, though that is subject to change.
Now, apropos of nothing, here are images of David Beckham falling on his ass while trying to kick a ball in Wuhan, China, in 2013.
