Colombian striker Miguel Borja decided to pass on the offer by a Chinese team and instead signed up with Brazilian team Palmeiras.
Surprise Signing
Borja's team Atletico Nacional confirmed the signing on Friday via their Twitter account, Colombia Reports reported. According to the Colombian team, Palmeiras signed Borja to a five-year contract worth $10.5 million.
Palmeiras currently sits at the top of the Brazilian league table, nine points ahead of second place Santos.
The 24-year-old Borja spent only six months with Atletico before the transfer. However, he proved to be an effective scorer for the team. He scored 17 goals in the 27 games he played for the team. Borja helped Atletico secure the Copa Libertadores with a winning goal during the finals, the first time since 1989.
Chinese Offer
Borja's signing a contract with Palmeiras comes in just a week after his manager Ignacio Martan said that he was considering the offer made by Chinese football club Shenzhen FC. According to Martan, the club offered his client more than $28 million, which would have given him more than $600,000 monthly salary, China.org reported.
The striker has earlier rejected an undisclosed offer from another Chinese club, reports said.
This is not the first time that Shenzhen FC has acquired a foreign player. Earlier this month, Shenzhen signed Borja's fellow Colombian Harold Preciado, beating other international teams who have also shown interest in the forward. The club has also signed Nigerian player Chinedu Obasi to strengthen its ranks.
In 2016, the team made its biggest acquisition to date when they signed up Brazilian Paulinho.
Shenzhen FC is just one of a multitude of Chinese clubs that has been making the effort to lure foreign players to their side and help in their campaigns in Chinese Super League.Under the revised rules of the CSL, teams are allowed up to five foreign players on their rosters, but can only put three on the field at any given time.