The allure of lucrative contracts continues to attract numerous African players to the Chinese Super League, with Nigerian striker Brown Ideye becoming the latest addition to the list of professionals swapping Europe for China.
The Super Eagles attacker has completed a deal that will see him playing alongside national team captain John Obi Mikel at Tianjin Teda.
The 28-year-old has made the decision to leave Greek side Olympiakos in favour of a three-year deal with his new side in China, according to FootballLive.
He moved to Greece in August 2015 from English club West Bromwich Albion. Ideye did well in Greece, scoring 28 goals in 65 appearances for his club, contributing to Olympiakos winning the 2016 Greek championship.
He will feature in the same team as compatriot Mikel, who joined in the beginning of the year from Chelsea. The 29-year-old earns around $174,000 a week at the Chinese club, and that sum attracted him to the far east over offers from France and Turkey.
Gabon international Malick Evouna is another African player who represents Tianjin Teda.
Ideye will not be the only Nigerian striker in China, as fellow national team attacker Odion Ighalo moved from Watford in the English Premier League to Chinese club Changchun Yatai for a fee of $24.8 million last month.
The 27-year-old was arguably the Hornets’ best player in 2015, scoring 30 goals during the year, and he will now come up against Ideye when the new season kicks off in early March.
Earlier this week Cameroon winger and 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) player of the tournament Christian Bassogog completed a transfer from Danish club Aab Fodbold to Chinese Super League side Henan Jianye.
The 21-year-old accepted a move to China worth around $8.7 million, according to AfricanFootball, showing the attraction that the Chinese top-flight provides to even young players full of potential.
