Chinese striker Wu Lei to return to La Liga side Espanyol

SHANGHAI-- Chinese international striker Wu Lei is scheduled to fly back to Spain next week ahead of La Liga's new season as a member of RCD Espanyol.

Wu, currently the only Chinese player playing in a top-five European league, ended an obligatory quarantine together with Chinese national teammates in Shanghai Thursday after returning from the UAE, where they played three World Cup Asian qualifying matches.

The 29-year-old striker plans to rejoin RCD Espanyol in mid-July for the upcoming La Liga season, according to the Titan Weekly.

Wu scored five goals in China's four most recent World Cup qualifiers, helping China secure a spot in the final Asian qualification round of 12 teams.

The 12 teams were drawn into two groups, with China set to face Japan, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Vietnam.

The third round is scheduled to be played on the following 10 match days: Sept 2 and 7, Oct 7 and 12, and Nov 11 and 16, 2021, as well as Jan 27 and Feb 1, 2022, before climaxing on March 24 and 29, 2022.