BAD RAGAZ, Switzerland - Borussia Dortmund are on the brink of signing Belgian midfielder Axel Witsel from Tianjin Quanjian, the Bundesliga club said Monday.
Witsel, 29, arrived at the team training camp in Bad Ragaz, Switzerland, having informed his Chinese club on Sunday he would leave using a clause in his contract.
Dortmund have agreed a deal with Witsel to 2022 and expect global governing body FIFA to confirm the transfer, worth a reported 20 million euros (23.1 million dollars), in the coming days.
"After the World Cup it was my goal to move from China back to Europe," Witsel told the team homepage. "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. "
Defensive midfielder Witsel played with third-placed Belgium at the World Cup in Russia and had been with Tianjin since January 2017, moving from Russia outfit Zenit St Petersburg.
"We have been strongly interested in signing Axel Witsel for months and are very happy he has decided on Borussia Dortmund," club sport director Michael Zorc said". "Axel is a player with a great deal of international experience who has all the skills to shape the central BVB midfield: tactical understanding, tackling power, speed, creativity and mentality.
Dortmund, under the leadership of new coach Lucien Favre, begin the Bundesliga at home to RB Leipzig on August 26.