Southampton’s Italian striker Graziano Pelle celebrates after scoring a third goal during the side’s English Premier League match against Chelsea last season – PHOTO/AFP
London, United Kingdom, July 11- Italy striker Graziano Pelle has joined Chinese side Shandong Luneng from Southampton for an undisclosed fee, the Premier League club announced on Monday.
Pelle, 30, was part of the Italy team that reached the Euro 2016 quarter-finals and scored 30 goals in 81 appearances for Southampton following his arrival from Feyenoord in 2014.
Reports in Britain suggest the transfer fee is worth around Sh 1.7bn with Pelle joining former Newcastle United forward Papiss Cisse at the Chinese Super League side.
Shandong are coached by former Bayern Munich boss Felix Magath, who returned to management last month after an ill-fated spell with Fulham in 2014.
Pelle becomes the third high profile name to depart the Saint Mary’s club after Kenyan midfielder Victor Wanyama left the club to join North London club Totenham Hotspurs while fellow striker Sadio Mane left for Liverpool.
