After two years of being one of Botafogo's star players in the Brasileirão, Guangzhou Evergrande of the Chinese Super League secured his services at the end of the 2012 season.

On 8 March 2013, Elkeson scored his first two goals in China in the opening match of the 2013 Chinese Super League against Shanghai Shenxin, which ensured Guangzhou Evergrande's 5–1 victory.

[5] In July 2013, Elkeson was named in the squad which was submitted for the next stage of the AFC Champions League, replacing Lucas Barrios, who had decided to return to Europe.

[6] He scored twenty-four goals in twenty-eight appearances in the Super League which made him the top goalscorer of the season, eight more than the second-placed Carmelo Valencia.

[8] On 1 December 2013, in the first leg of the 2013 Chinese FA Cup final against Guizhou Renhe, he was sent off after striking Yang Hao in the face with his hand.

[12] Elkeson scored the winner as Guangzhou beat Al-Ahli of the UAE to win a second AFC Champions League in three years on 21 November 2015.

[16] On 7 October, Elkeson scored again as SIPG recorded a 5–0 win over bottom-of-the-table Guizhou Hengfeng to extend their lead over his former club at the top of the table to 4 points with just over a month of the season left.

[23][24] Having scored four goals in 23 matches, he helped O Tricolor gain automatic promotion back to the Brazilian top tier at the end of the 2022 season.

[28] In September 2011, Elkeson received his first call up for the Brazil national football team by Mano Menezes for the second leg of the 2011 Superclásico de las Américas against Argentina.

[31] On 10 September 2019, Elkeson made his international debut and scored his first 2 goals for China in a 5–0 away win against Maldives in the opening game of the second round of 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification.