SHANGHAI – Mousa Dembele became the latest high-profile name to swap Europe for China when he left English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur and joined Guangzhou R&F on Thursday.
The 31-year-old Belgian international will cost the Chinese Super League (CSL) club about €12 million, and he can expect to receive a significant hike in wages.
Dembele, who could soon be joined in China by West Ham United’s Marko Arnautovic, is regarded as one of the finest midfielders in the Premier League when fit.
But his appearances have become increasingly limited in recent seasons because of injury.
“Now it feels like my family, part of my family,” Dembele told Spurs TV, reflecting on his departure after six-and-a-half years at the Premier League title challengers.
“I go away with an unbelievable feeling and with a certain love for the club.”
Spurs said the transfer was subject to international clearance, which should be a formality.
In February last year, Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino described Dembele as being on a par with Diego Maradona.
“I have said before that he is a genius of football,” said the Spurs boss at the time.
But Dembele has been restricted to just seven starts for the London club this season because of an ankle ligament problem, and Pochettino is looking to offload fringe players.
Dembele, who has more than 80 caps for Belgium, joined Tottenham in August 2012 from Fulham, and in his pomp was a dynamic fulcrum in their midfield, as well as a crowd favourite.
He started his career in his native Belgium before moves to Willem II and AZ Alkmaar in the Netherlands.
Dembele’s signing represents a coup for R&F – but also a risk, given his fitness problems.
The club are not one of China’s traditional heavyweights and flirted with relegation from the CSL last season before finishing just below mid-table.
Their coach is the former Yugoslav great Dragan Stojkovic.
“Our club believes that as a world-class football star, Dembele’s joining will definitely enhance the overall strength of the team,” Guangzhou R&F said in a statement.
🎉官宣🎉
我俱乐部与球员穆萨.登贝莱就加盟事宜达成一致，从即日起，这位现役比利时国脚正式加盟广州富力，双方签约3年。
穆萨·登贝莱（Mousa Dembélé，粤语：迪比利），1987年7月16日出生于比利时安特卫普，身高1米85，司职中前卫，同时可以胜任前腰和后腰位置。 #GuangzhouRFFC #CSL pic.twitter.com/rsjkJ9Z2Px
— Guangzhou R&F FC (@GuangzhouRFFC) January 17, 2019
Volatile West Ham forward Arnautovic, 29, is agitating for a move to China, and was the subject of a reported £35 million offer from an unnamed CSL club last week.
Although the Hammers declared the Austria international not for sale, the player’s agent and brother Danijel said the player had a “great desire that West Ham accept the offer”.
Shanghai SIPG are the side said to be interested, and have reportedly offered Arnautovic a wage packet of £200 000 per week over a four-year deal.
Brazilians Oscar, Hulk and Alexandre Pato have all joined Chinese clubs in the last couple of years for large fees and on inflated wages.
Argentine international stalwart Javier Mascherano left Barcelona for Hebei China Fortune a year ago, although Chinese authorities have moved to dampen the domestic transfer market.
Former Chelsea star Oscar played a major role helping Shanghai SIPG to their first title when they won the latest CSL season, which ended in November.
The new season begins in the spring.