Highly rated Australian striker Bernie Ibini completed a move to Chinese club Shanghai SIPG, a change he hopes will be a stepping stone to Europe.
Victoriano Alvaro (R) and Rao Weihui (C) from Guizhou Renhe attempt to stop Bernie Ibini of the Central Coast Mariners on April 3, 2013. Ibini has completed a move to Chinese club Shanghai SIPG, a change he hopes will be a stepping stone to Europe.
The 20-year-old, twice nominated as Australia's young footballer of the year, moved from A-League champions Central Coast Mariners in a three-year deal.
"While it is not the move to Europe everyone was expecting, I think Australians have seen through the Asian Champions League that the Chinese Super League is of a strong standard," he said.
"Shanghai SIPG understand that I have ambitions to get to Europe and will help me in the best way they can to reach that goal, just as the Mariners did."