Eintracht Frankfurt forward Alexander Meier. (Photo : Reuters)
Forward Alexander Meier of Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt had reportedly turned down a huge offer from an unnamed football club in China to stay with his German squad.
ESPN reported that the 33-year-old Buchholz, West Germany native "has revealed that he turned down an offer from China" including a potential €7 million salary for two years, which the anonymous Chinese "top-five club" was rumored to have proposed to him.
"It's true, there was an offer," said Meier. "And I have chatted to (Frankfurt CEO Heribert) Bruchhagen and the coach (Armin Veh), but after about one minute it was off the table."
The 6-foot-5 attacking midfielder is considered as one of the best scorers in the Germany top flight these past several years, which may have been the primary reason why Chinese clubs are interested in snagging him right now. Last season, he led the league in goal scoring with 19 in 26 domestic appearances.
Just recently, he scored his second hat trick of the season as Die Adler turned back a tough challenge from last season's Bundesliga runners-up VfL Wolfsburg, 3-2, at their home stadium of Commerzbank Arena last Sunday.
This season, the Eagles' team captain had scored 10 goals in 14 games, which makes him currently the fifth leading scorer in the 2015-2016 Bundesliga season behind Borussia Dortmund's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (18), the Bayern Munich duo of Robert Lewandowski (17) and Thomas Müller (14), and Bayer Leverkusen's Javier Hernández (11).
Meier had scored in double figures three times in four seasons since his return to Bundesliga from 2. Bundesliga during the 2012-2013 season.
The former Germany U21 international started his senior career with 2. Bundesliga FC St. Pauli in 2001 and spent two seasons there before suiting up for Hamburger SV in both the top flight and fourth tier leagues.
He was signed by Eintracht in July 2004 and has since played for the club running into 12 seasons to date.
The Score noted that "with 111 goals for Frankfurt since joining the Hessen side in 2004", Meier is keen on focusing "solely on the remaining year-and-a-half left on his deal with the club".
Meier has recorded a total of 129 goals in 346 appearances in all competitions for Eintracht since the 2004-2005 season.
