Marcello Lippi. [File photo]

World Cup-winning Italian coach Marcello Lippi has denied that he was on the verge of signing with Chinese champion Guangzhou Evergrande.

"I don't deny that I want to coach abroad. But to coach in China's Guangzhou? Not possible! I have no contacts with Chinese clubs. I had some contact with teams in UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, but there has been no constructive progress," the 64-year-old Lippi told the Italian newspaper Corriere Della Sera, which had earlier claimed that the former Juventus coach had agreed to join the CSL side.

Guangzhou is currently coached by South Korean Lee Jang-Soo. The team is 3rd on the CSL table and last beat South Korean champion Jeonbuk Hyundai 5-1 in the first round of the AFC Champions League. The Italian report claimed if Lippi signed up as coach of Guangzhou, he was likely to rope in Juventus star striker Alessandro Del Piero with him.