Newly installed Shanghai Shenhua coach Gustavo Poyet appears to have opened the door for the potential arrival of Paris Saint-Germain winger Angel Di Maria after admitting one of the Chinese Super League side's current stars would have to leave first to make space.
Poyet was only appointed as boss at Hongkou Football Stadium in late November but he is already set to add Boca Juniors' Carlos Tevez to his squad for what sources have told ESPN FC would be a world-record wage.
Speaking with La Red in his home country of Uruguay, Poyet said he has "no other information" about potential signings outside the Argentina international but stopped short of denying rumours linking fellow Albiceleste star Di Maria with a move.
"Could Angel Di Maria arrive? If Tevez comes, the foreign player limits will have been reached," Poyet said. "It could only happen if there is a departure. We already have Freddy Guarin, Giovanni Moreno and Obafemi Martins."
As well as Guarin, Moreno and Martins, not to mention Tevez, Poyet also has Demba Ba currently recovering from a fractured leg.
Di Maria has endured a difficult start to his second season with PSG and has just one goal and five assists to his name from 15 Ligue 1 appearances so far.
The 28-year-old was recently omitted from Unai Emery's squad for the 5-0 year-ending thrashing of Lorient at Parc des Princes, despite the former Manchester United and Real Madrid man reportedly not carrying an injury.
Speculation is rife in the French capital that Di Maria is unhappy and that agent Jorge Mendes is testing the waters ahead of a potential move to China in the near future.