Chinese teenager seeks Botafogo contract

Rio de Janeiro: Brazilian giants Botafogo have invited promising Chinese teenager Tang Shi to join the club on trial with a view of securing the forward in a long-term deal.

Tang caught the eye of Botafogo talent scouts during a tour of Asia by the Rio de Janeiro club`s under-19 team last year, reports Xinhua. The 17-year-old said he is relishing the chance to train with Botafogo`s first-team squad. "It`s a big club, very professional and they train very hard," he told Sportv. "Since I arrived they have treated me well and I`m happy here." Tang, who played in China with Shandong Luneng, has impressed his new Brazilian teammates with his pace and penchant for scoring. He admitted to looking up to Botafogo`s Uruguay international midfielder Nicolas Lodeiro. "I like the way he plays - he is fast and technically very good on the ball," Tang said. Despite not playing for the two-time Brazilian champions in an official match, he remains hopeful his time will come soon. "I want to stay here at Botafogo. But I have to continue working hard to have a chance of playing," he added.