Dalian Aerbin to sell Lee Addy
by Gary Al-Smith 10 July 2012, 19:16
Chinese Super League club side Dalian Aerbin are set to offload Lee Addy to make way for the completion of the deal for former Barcelona star Seydou Keita. The league has a quota system in place that allows its teams to have only seven foreign players at a time.
The Black Stars defender will be the sacrificial lamb because he is surplus to requirements at the club, while Keita is seen as a key part of the team's future. The other foreigners in the team include Fábio Rochemback (Brazil), Peter Utaka (Nigeria), Gustavo Canales (Chile) and Daniel Mullen (Austarlia).
Time up
Lee Addy completed a three-year deal with then newly-promoted Aerbin in January from Serbian club Red Star Belgrade. The fee was $2.2million. At the time of Addy's arrival, CSL clubs were allowed to have a maximum of five foreign players in their squad. Dalian Aerbin already had their full overseas allocation and have to sell one before they can register Keita.
Dalian, the club, was only founded in 2009 when it joined the Chinese third division. Bankrolled by a company who makes concrete, they won two successive promotions. Dalian. the city, has been granted special tax status to attract foreign investment. Given that Addy, and now Keita, are from West Africa and not west China, they are part of that foreign investment, and it has been a key reason why players have been flocking to that side of town.
Quietly stellar
Lee started his senior career in 2007 by playing with Nania F.C. but soon after, in 2008, moved to the Berekum Chelsea (then Bechem Chelsea) in the Ghana Premier League. He impressed Milovan Rajevac, then national team boss and was selected in the CHAN squad against Argentina.
Ghana lost, but Lee went on to play for Ghana in the 2010 Afcon and World Cup. His next career move is unclear.
