Axel Witsel agrees Borussia Dortmund switch

Axel Witsel is set to return to Europe after agreeing a move to join Borussia Dortmund on a four-year deal. The Belgium midfielder has made the from Tianjin Quanjian in a deal repored to be worth 20 million euros.

The 29-year-old arrived at Dortmund’s training camp in Switzerland on Monday, with a view to finalising a move to the Bundesliga after spending 18 months with Chinese Super League club.

"After the World Cup it was my goal to move from China back to Europe" 

"I am totally happy and also proud to be able to play for Dortmund. After our first conversation, I did not have to think twice, because for me Borussia Dortmund is one of the best clubs on the continent. Honestly, I can not wait to run around in front of 81,000 people."

Witsel was an integral part of Belgium's run to the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup in Russia. He started five of his country's six matches en route to the last four, where the Red Devils were beaten 1-0 by eventual winners France.

He started his career at the Standard Liege, winning all the domestic trophies that Belgium had to offer. He later made the switch to Benfica where he lifted the 2012 Portuguese League Cup in his only season with them, before adding the Russian Premier League, Russian Cup and Russian Super Cup to his collection during a four-year stint at Zenit St Petersburg. The 2008 Belgium Player of the Year moved to Tianjin in January 2017, scoring the club's first ever goal in the Chinese Super League.

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The Belgian international who has been on the radar of some top European clubs was hailed by Dortmund's sporting director Michael Zorc as the perfect fit for the club. Speaking on the club's seventh signing of the season, Michael Zorc told the club website.

“For several months already we’ve been strongly interested in signing Axel Witsel, and we’re very happy that he’s chosen to join Borussia Dortmund,” 

“Axel is a player with huge international experience who has all the skills required to shape BVB’s central midfield: tactical understanding, strength in the tackle, speed, creativity and a good mentality.”