Australia winger Kruse joins China exodus

Berlin (AFP) – Australian international winger Robbie Kruse has left Bayer Leverkusen to join Chinese Super League side Liaoning Whowin FC, the German club said on Sunday.

The 28-year-old Kruse, just the latest European-based player to be enticed by the riches on offer in China, has already passed a medical at his new club in a deal which will reportedly cost Liaoning about 500,000 euros ($535,000).

Leverkusen’s director of sport Rudi Voeller confirmed the transfer after their 3-1 German league win over Hertha Berlin.

Kruse is the third Bundesliga player to join Liaoning after striker Anthony Ujah and defender Assani Lukimya left Werder Bremen for the Chinese club last year.

Kruse, who has made 61 appearances and scored six goals in Germany’s top flight, joined Leverkusen in July 2013, but never secured a regular first-team place, mainly due to a string of injuries.

He suffered a serious knee injury in January 2014 which kept him out of Australia’s World Cup squad for the Brazil finals and spent half a season on loan at Stuttgart up until February last year.