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Nigerian international Martins joins Shanghai Greenland Shenhua

Xinhua, February 19, 2016 Adjust font size:

Chinese Super League side Shanghai Greenland Shenhua has announced that Nigerian international striker Obafemi Martins moved to the Chinese largest city from Major League Soccer's Seattle Sounders.

The former Inter Milan and Newcastle forward joined his new teammates for a training session in Jeju, South Korea in the morning, the club said on Thursday night in an official statement.

"Martins will reinforce Greenland Shenhua's attacking line and help diversify our methods to attack," said the club. "We hope he can put on an outstanding performance in the coming season and help the team achieve good result."

Martins, 31, 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.

"Something I feel strongly about is challenging myself. When I came to Seattle, it was for the challenge.

"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 said in an emotional farewell letter.

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 league with jaw-dropping sums of money. Enditem