Obafemi Martins leaves Sounders for China

With the season starting in just nine days Seattle Sounders FC will be without Obafemi Martins. Shanghai Shenhua of the Chinese Super League bought Martins from Seattle according to BBC Sport.

Nigeria striker Obafemi Martins has joined Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua in a multi-million dollar deal, BBC Sport can reveal.

It is Sounder at Heart's expectation that there will be no Allocation Money coming from the deal.

The sale does open up a Designated Player spot. Major League Soccer's transfer window opens this week and closes in early May. The club's first match is against Club America on February 23rd, while league play starts on March 6th against Sporting KC.

Shanghai Shenhua also dipped big money for Demba Ba and Fredy Guarin. Avraam Papadopoulos and former New York Red Bulls DP Tim Cahill are on their roster as well.

Martins was dominant in his three years with the Sounders. He scored 40 goals with 23 assists in his 72 regular season games here. In the Open Cup Oba had 3 goals in 4 games. He failed to score or assist in his 8 playoff matches.

Shanghai will be Obafemi's eighth professional team.