Graziano Pelle arrives in China to hero’s welcome after becoming world’s sixth best paid player
The Italian star has touched down in his new homeland having Southampton to sign for struggling Shandong Luneng on a lucrative £260,000 per week
has touched down in China where he was mobbed by fans of new side Shandong Luneng.
The former Southampton striker, who turns 31 this week, got some birthday present after joining the Chinese Super League strugglers for an undisclosed fee believed to be around £13million - and his contract has made him the SIXTH best player in world football on a whopping £260,000 per week.
But Shandong, managed by unpopular former Fulham boss Felix Magath, are second bottom of the table with just 13 points from 16 games.
He was joined by stunning model girlfriend, Hungarian model Viktoria Varga who he met on Facebook where he bombared her with flirty messages two years ago.
He had another year on his contract at St. Mary's, with the Saints reportedly unwilling to extend his deal despite scoring 30 goals in two years since his 2014 arrival from Feyenoord.
And Pellè was understood to have been eyeing a move to China since January after Southampton’s purchase of Charlie Austin from Queens Park Rangers.
Southampton quickly added to their squad following Pellè’s departure with the signing of Danish international midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg from Bayern Munich, who joined on a five-year deal for an undisclosed fee.
Pelle and Cisse are the latest of many big names to be lured over by Chinese riches offered with former Chelsea star Ramires and Brazilian striker Hulk leaving enjoying considerable pay rises since leaving for the Far East.