Maradona defends Tevez's big money move to China

File photo of Boca Juniors' Carlos Tevez in action against Nacional's Jorge Fucile on May 19, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]

BUENOS AIRES -- Argentinean football legend, Diego Maradona, on Saturday defended Carlos Tevez, who recently took a big money transfer to China's Shanghai Shenhua from Boca Juniors.

According to Maradona, Tevez "did what he had to do" by going to China and "did not defraud anybody."

Carlos Tevez was transferred to Shanghai Shenhua in December where he will earn around $40 million a year, despite pleas from his fellow players and fans of Boca Juniors for him to stay. Boca Juniors made 11 million dollars from the transfer.

"The fans of Boca should thank him for coming back (in July 2015 from Juventus), but it is time that a money goes to a player, and not a manager or businessman," said Maradona in an interview with sports newspaper, Ole.

File photo of football legend Diego Maradona in an advertising event on the eve of the opening of the UEFA 2016 European Championship in Paris, France, June 9, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]

Maradona also criticized another Boca Juniors legend, Juan Roman Riquelme, who recently stated he would not have gone to China.

"If China had offered 50 million dollars to Riquelme, he would be speaking Chinese today. Carlitos (Tevez) did not defraud or scam anybody. He simply offered an amazing offer and he has nothing to feel bad about," added the Mexico 1986 World Cup champion. "Riquelme and Maradona would have done the same."

Tevez, 32, will now be the highest paid player in the world. packet will make him the

Maradona admitted that Boca Juniors would suffer as "Tevez is irreplaceable."

"There is no player to be bought to replace him. Many are spoken of but nobody is in his class," concluded the legend.