Rio de Janeiro : Former Brazil striker Alexandre Pato is being sought by several clubs in China and Turkey, according to media reports.

The 27-year-old is contracted to Villarreal until June 2020 but the Spanish club could be tempted to offload him if a hefty transfer fee is forthcoming, the Terra news outlet reported, reports Xinhua news agency.

Pato has scored six goals in 24 appearances since joining Villarreal for $3.2 million from Corinthians in July.

Reported interest in the forward comes as a growing number of Brazilians join Chinese Super League clubs.

The highest profile move has been that of former Chelsea midfielder Oscar, who joined Shanghai SIPG for a reported $75 million in December.  -IANS