Nigerian midfielder John Obi Mikel has left premier league club Chelsea to ply his trade in the Chinese Super League.

He tweeted a sentence in Mandarin Chinese and a greeting to former Chelsea teammate Oscar, who left for Shanghai SIPG in December.

He also shared a post thanking the west London club for the 10 years he has spent there.

Listing his achievements, he said: “I say goodbye as a champion of England, champion of Europe and a proud captain of my national team.”

The Nigerian said he was leaving because he had not had playing opportunities this season and was taking an offer from Chinese club Tianjin TEDA.

He thanked the club’s owner Roman Abramovich and the coaches he played under but he reserved his greatest praise and gratitude for the Chelsea fans:

My biggest thanks must go to the Blues fans. You brought me into the Chelsea family, you sang my name, and were there with us every step of the way.”

Mikel will be joining former team mate Oscar, who joined Shanghai SIPG.