Veteran Chinese player joins Spanish second division club

MADRID - Spanish second division outfit SD Ponferradina has announced the signing of 39-year-old Chinese midfielder Gao Leilei in a deal which will keep him at the club until June 2020.

The club which won promotion to the Liga SmartBank has signed the veteran as part of a "sponsorship deal" and has not revealed any further details of the transfer.

The Ponferradina website explains the deal will "bring an important economic benefit to the club as well as the possibility of opening a connection to the Chinese market with important prospects for the future."

The midfielder arrives at Ponferradina after a long and colorful career which has seen him play in China, New Zealand, Australia and the United States.

He originally retired from football in 2011 after a spell with Beijing Sport University Football Club, but returned to the game in 2016 when he joined Spanish third tier outfit UD Cornella, although he made just four appearances totaling 37 minutes in three seasons at the club.

In January of this year he joined third division FC Jumilla, making five appearances before the end of last season.