Chris Katongo joins Chinese Club Henan, Mayuka On target

ZAMBIA national team skipper Christopher Katongo has signed a two-and-half-year contract with Chinese first division side Henan Jienye.Both Katongo and his former Greek club Skoda Xanthi confirmed the development yesterday.

And Emmanuel Mayuka was on target for Young Boys in a pre-season match ahead of this weekend’s explosive Swiss league opener against Fwayo Tembo’s FC Basel who will start defence of their title.

Xanthi posted on its official website that they have sold Katongo’s contract to the Chinese club.

“I can confirm that I have signed a two-and-half-year contract with Henan Jienye here in China. I am currently in camp for my first appearance this weekend. I am happy with the deal and the level of football,” said Katongo, who did not disclose the amount involved in the transfer.

Katongo said in an interview from China yesterday that he is happy to break through the Asian league.

The national team skipper, who scored a brace in the 3-0 win over Mozambique in the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at Nchanga Stadium in Chingola last month, said he will continue putting in his best.

“I have never played in any Asian league before and it is quite a challenge every time a player changes clubs but I am determined to settle down as quickly as possible. It is a challenge to acclimatise to a new environment and style of play, but I have to work straight away because there is no time. The league is on here,” he said.

Katongo said the Chinese league is as competitive as the one in Europe.

“Wherever God takes me, I will go…as long as I am happy and able to compete. The Chinese league is not as easy as people may think,” he said.

Katongo, who has been in China since June 30, advised young players to work hard, be determined and maintain the highest level of discipline if they are to excel in their career.

He has not gone back to Greece since he came to Zambia in May for national duties. The Greek league is currently on recess.

The former Green Buffaloes midfielder turned professional in 2004 when he joined South African Premier Soccer League side Jomo Cosmos, where he had a two-year stint before moving to Danish side Brondby in 2007.

He spent only a year in Denmark and trekked to Germany in 2008 where he joined Armenia Bielefeld for a two-year contract before moving to Greece last year.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

Posted by Admin on July 12, 2011. Filed under SPORTS. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry