Chinese football (soccer) defender Du Wei has joined Scottish team Celtic in a four month deal struck just before the transfer deadline.
The 23-year-old center back impressed Celtic manager Gordon Strachan during a weeklong try-out in Scotland earlier this month. But the Scottish team had balked at the $1.4 million transfer fee demanded by Shanghai Shenhua of the struggling Chinese Super League.
The agreement calls for Celtic to pay the Chinese club a fee of between 100,000 and 200,000 for a four month trial period, with the balance due after the transfer is formalized following the try-out. If Celtic is not satisfied, Du will return to his Shanghai team.
Du is among a number of Chinese players who have signed with European teams to escape the scandal-plagued Chinese Super League. No decision has been made on whether Du will play in Celtic's next game, when it faces Aberdeen at home on September 10.