Axel Witsel, Borussia Dortmund Agree to 4-Year Contract

Borussia Dortmund have agreed to sign Belgium midfielder Axel Witsel from Tianjin Quanjian on a reported four-year deal.

The club announced the news on their official website, and Goal's Ryan Benson detailed the length of contract after Dortmund triggered his €20 million (£17.9 million) release clause.

The 29-year-old midfielder was one of the standouts for Belgium during the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, anchoring the side and allowing Kevin De Bruyne the opportunity to contribute further up the pitch. His good showing was always likely to result in a move back to Europe.

Witsel has had an unusual career filled with ups and downs, and it's remarkable he has only now joined a club in a top league.

A product of Standard Liege's academy that also produced Marouane Fellaini and Steven Defour, he immediately impressed as a youngster in Belgium but courted controversy for an incident with Marcin Wasilewski that resulted in a lengthy suspension.

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He overcame the setback and the negative public perception he had at the time, earning a move to Benfica in 2011. One year later, he moved to Zenit Saint Petersburg, who had plans to become a European powerhouse and also splashed the cash on the likes of Hulk.

He continued his development in Russia and caught the attention of Juventus, with his transfer to a top club seemingly finally arriving in 2016. He even traveled to Turin and passed medical tests, only for Zenit to pull the plug on the deal at the last moment:

A few months later, Witsel accepted an offer from China. Many thought it was the end of his career at the top, but he remained one of the first names on Belgium's teamsheet, starting over the likes of Mousa Dembele and Youri Tielemans.

He more than earned the trust from Roberto Martinez:

Witsel works best as a controlling midfielder, sweeping up the ball ahead of the defence and shielding creative team-mates. He mostly relies on positioning rather than brute force, but he is physical enough to match up with bruisers as well.

He's in his prime and has moved about quite a bit already―Witsel should have no issues adapting to his new surroundings, something he has done many times before.

With bags of experience, Witsel profiles as an instant-impact player, making this a smart bit of business from Dortmund.