Nigeria captain John Obi Mikel announced on Friday he is leaving English Premier League leaders Chelsea to join Chinese side Tianjin TEDA.
He is the latest star to head to the Chinese Super League, after the high-profile signings of Chelsea team-mate Oscar by Shanghai SIPG and Carlos Tevez by Shanghai Shenhua in recent weeks.
Midfielder Mikel has not featured at all for Chelsea under manager Antonio Conte, who took over in July.
“After 10 years, 374 appearances and 11 trophies, it is time for me to say goodbye,” Mikel said in a letter posted on his Twitter account.
“I haven’t featured as much this season as I would have liked, and at 29 I still have many years in the game ahead of me.
“With this in mind, I feel now is the time to seek a new challenge.
“I’m delighted to be joining Tianjin TEDA FC in China, at a time that the Chinese Super League is really taking off.
“I look forward to helping Tianjin TEDA FC continue to grow both on and off the pitch in the next few years.”
In his farewell letter, Mikel reflected on his career at the Blues.
“I joined Chelsea as a 19-year-old kid from the Norwegian Premier League, making my debut in the Community Shield,” he said.
“I say goodbye as a champion of England, a champion of Europe, and proud captain of my national team.”
Mikel gave no details about the contract he’s signed.
Brazilian midfielder Oscar, 25, landed in Shanghai on Monday for a reported Asian transfer record 60 million euros ($63 million) deal.
China ordered a clampdown on Thursday on the mega sums being shelled out on foreign football stars after the high-profile signings of Oscar and Tevez, reportedly now the highest paid player in the world commanding 38 million euros a season.
There has to be action against “irrational investment” and the government will “regulate and restrain high-priced signings and make reasonable restrictions on players’ high incomes”, a state General Administration of Sport spokesman warned.
Insolvent clubs could be kicked out of China’s Super League, which has been spending more than the English Premier League in recent transfer windows to draw top names. – Agence France-Presse
