NIGERIAN INTERNATIONAL STRIKER Obafemi Martins has joined the growing band of foreign players heading to China, swapping Major League Soccer’s Seattle Sounders for Shanghai Greenland Shenhua.
The 31-year-old former Inter Milan and Newcastle forward announced his move on Twitter, saying he was looking forward to a “new challenge” in the Chinese Super League after spending three years with the Sounders.
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“I can wholeheartedly say that I seized the opportunity in Seattle and gave everything I had for the club,” Martins said.
“For me it’s now time for a new challenge. After significant reflection, I have decided to join Shanghai Greenland Shenhua FC of the CSL.”
Martins is the latest in a series of foreign footballers to be lured to China, which is making a concerted effort to attract overseas players to its top-flight with jaw-dropping sums of money.
Earlier this week, Paris Saint-Germain’s Argentine forward Ezequiel Lavezzi signed with Hebei China Fortune, who are reportedly paying the South American an astonishing £23.5m (€30m) over two years.
Chinese teams have been splashing their cash in Europe, as wealthy owners embrace President Xi Jinping’s vision of the sleeping Asian giant becoming a new footballing heavyweight.
The current transfer window shuts on 26 February in China and has already seen big-money moves by Brazilians Alex Teixeira and Ramires, along with Colombia’s Jackson Martinez, to join the cash-flush China Super League.
The Chinese transfer fee record has been smashed four times in the current transfer window, culminating in Jiangsu Suning paying Shakhtar Donetsk €50m for Teixeira.
Martins will replace Australian footballer Tim Cahill, who earlier this week accused many of the new arrivals of being motivated by greed.
“The choices that players are making are not about football like it was in my day. They are purely about personal gains and it depends what you want as an individual,” said Cahill.
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Serious atmosphere here in Cavan. This is exactly where you want to be playing the All Ireland Champions. Whatever the result these games against the top 4 will stand to us in the summer months
It’s exactly the gate the county board needed as well
Mind blowing that people would actually travel to watch that rubbish sport.
@Ordinary lad: the much “hyped” Irish Rugby team lost yesterday. How much money do those lads earn?
Mind blowing that someone would take the time to open an article about a sport they consider to be ‘rubbish’ and then take the time to comment on it.
How can a team that receives €120k in funding compete against a team that receives €1.4million
Hahaha give over Al . Deep down you love the gaa
@Alan b..: Sure all the money we’ll be spending here we’ll double that funding for you pal ;)
a decent workout so far get rid of the Jamaican rum and redstripe against another nordie team who’s sole intention is to pull drag and hit off the ball.
Don’t know what game your watching. The hits off the ball have been 50:50.
Eh cavan is in the south of Ireland Einstein
fergal reilly should count himself lucky to share a pitch with these wonderful dublin footballers instead of going around like a drunk at a wedding looking for a fight.
That was stared by the Dublin man on the ground. You’re incredibly anti ulster football
And then mdma was the first man to get involved.
And who look for a figth at a wedding
ah lorcan stop it now.
fergal reilly would.
it’s north of me ya tit
@Alan b..: that explains why the dubs were late they looked at a map and headed north. When did this geographical transplant take place.
don’t be a tit like alan cavan play in ulster which is up north so they are nordies.
Cavan is not in Northern Ireland you don’t cross the border or use sterling
I didn’t say it was in Northern Ireland .
What do you mean by nordie then?if you are calling them that cos they’re north of you does that mean someone from cork would class Dublin as a nordie team
if they wanted to yes beacuse they would be northern to a Cork person now cavan is in ulster and part of the Republic of Ireland beacuse the brits didn’t want the kip so yes you are nordies which we where stuck with.
Stop you’re just embarrassing yourself
What part of Dublin are you from?
what difference does it make?
cavan play in the ulster champions with the other 8 nordie counties it’s no big deal just accept it is the way it is don’t be embarrassed alan.
All the complaints about dublins fans. Have any other county brought a few thousand fans with them today ?
@Gavin Byrne: In comparison Dublin have a fan base of about 10 times what other counties have. So of course they will bring large numbers with them.
Fair play today they really brought a fantastic atmosphere and plenty of money to Cavan town today
That a few time in the last three years the cavan has been delayed because of the fans.
If the dubs can’t make it to croke park on time how do you expect them to make it to cavan on time
@Lorcán Coyle: Should know by now that nothing in Cavan ever starts on time, nearest fifteen minutes, sure that’ll do.!!!
Ref jersey looks too like Dubs
We’ll save that excuse for later
Massive achievement if Roscommon can some how stay up in Division 1.
Lorcan are u watching the match