Dortmund bring Witsel back to Europe after triggering Tianjin release clause
Borussia Dortmund are set to complete the signing of Belgian international Axel Witsel after activating the release clause in his contract with Chinese outfit Tianjin Quanjian.
Witsel's transfer fee amounts to €20 million, according to Agence France-Presse.
He was welcomed to Dortmund's training in Switzerland on Monday after agreeing to sign a four-year contract with the German club.
✌️ @axelwitsel28 pic.twitter.com/KVbEGFRfFx
— Borussia Dortmund (@BVB) August 6, 2018
The 29-year-old started in each of Belgium's six World Cup matches in Russia, helping his country to a best-ever finish of third place. He last played club football in Europe in 2016 with Zenit St. Petersburg, winning the Russian Premier League title, Russian Cup, and Russian Super Cup over five seasons.
A midfielder with a strong box-to-box presence, Witsel could create a dynamic understanding with future teammates Julian Weigl and Thomas Delaney.
"We have been very interested in bringing Axel to the club for a number of months now and are really happy that he has opted for Borussia Dortmund," sporting director Michael Zorc said in a statement. "Axel is a player of great international experience who brings all the qualities required to make a mark on the BVB midfield: tactical awareness, strength when challenging for the ball, pace, creativity, and mentality.
Witsel said he was "determined" to sign for a European club following Belgium's successful World Cup run.
"I didn't have to think about it for very long after our first discussion because Borussia Dortmund is one of the best clubs on the continent in my opinion," he added. "I honestly cannot wait to run out in front of 81,000 people."