BEIJING (Reuters) - Former World Player of the Year Luis Figo wants to extend his career outside Europe and would consider playing in the Chinese Super League (CSL), a Chinese newspaper reported Thursday.
The Portugal midfielder announced his retirement from "high level" football after helping Inter Milan to a fourth successive Serie A title last weekend.
"I am still waiting for the calls from outside Europe, from U.S. or Japan," the 36-year-old told the Chinese sports newspaper Titan Sports.
"I am also happy to accept recruitment offers from CSL clubs," he added.
Unlike Japan, the Arabian Gulf and the U.S., Chinese football has not frequently attracted big name players looking to play out their careers.
Former Italian international and AS Roma midfielder Damiano Tommasi currently plays for Tianjin Teda, while former England midfielder Paul Gascoigne had a few months at Chinese second flight club Gansu Tianma in 2003.
(Reporting by Liu Zhen and Nick Mulvenney, editing by Ian Ransom)