Soccer-Guangzhou appoint Getafe's Contra as new coach

Dec 18 (Reuters) - Guangzhou R&F have secured the services of Getafe's Cosmin Contra as their new coach, the Chinese Super League club said on Thursday. Romanian Contra, 39, and other coaching staff will arrive in Guangzhou soon to complete the deal, the Chinese club said on their website. According to a China Daily report, Getafe midfielder Michel, on loan at Getafe from Valencia, will also join Guangzhou. Financially-troubled Getafe had urged Contra to accept Guangzhou's offer and help the La Liga club to raise funds. "I'm the only one at Getafe who has an offer, they want to sell me in China," Contra, who took over at the Spanish club in March, told media on Wednesday. "They suggested I should help the club. "I know the problems and I would do that for the club which is going through some pretty bad financial times," said the former Romania international who replaces Swede Sven-Goran Eriksson who quit the Chinese side last month. Guangzhou R&F finished third in this year's Chinese Super League to qualify for next year's Asian Champions League second preliminary round. Madrid-based Getafe are 13th in La Liga with 16 points from 15 matches, five points above the relegation zone. (Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty in New Delhi; editing by Justin Palmer)