SHANGHAI SIPG boss Sven-Goran Eriksson is set to sign Zenit St.Petersburg striker Hulk for 45.7 million pounds (US$61 million), a record fee for an Asian club.

    The fee has been agreed by the two clubs, Russian media reported earlier.

    The Brazil striker, 29, arrived in Shanghai on Wednesday to finalize the move.

    Former England boss Eriksson is under pressure to improve results after slipping 12 points behind the Chinese Super League’s leader Guangzhou Evergrande.

    Hulk, who scored four goals for the Russian club in last season’s Champions League, was in the Brazil squad for the Copa America, but made just one appearance off the bench.

    The previous record transfer fee paid by an Asian club was the 38 million pounds Jiangsu Suning paid Shakhtar Donetsk for Alex Teixera.

    Hulk spent the early years of his career in his homeland and on loan in Japan, but he made his name with Porto, who he played for from 2008-12.

    He moved to Zenit for a fee of 33 million pounds in 2012.

    Hulk arrived in Shanghai for a medical Wednesday morning and was welcomed by SIPG fans and club officials at Pudong International Airport. According to club general manager Sui Guoyang, the contract would be signed after Hulk clears his medical tests.

    The Brazilian international was the Russian Premier League’s top scorer in the 2014-15 season with 15 goals.

    Sui said team coaches would decide which foreign player would be replaced following Hulk’s arrival, since the club already has the maximum five foreign players on it roll. The team was in Guangzhou on Wednesday for a China FA Cup match, which it lost 0-1 to Guangzhou R&F.

    SIPG currently lies fourth in the Chinese Super League standings following a five-match winless streak.(SD-Agencies)