Gervinho leaves Roma to join Chinese Super League

REUTERS – AS Roma’s Ivorian striker Gervinho has moved to the Chinese Super League, joining Hebei China Fortune FC, the Chinese club said on Tuesday.

The Ivory Coast international, twice voted his country’s footballer of the year, moved from Arsenal to Roma in 2013 after two seasons in England, during which he scored nine Premier League goals.

The 28-year-old has scored 17 times in his 71 Serie A appearances for the Italian club, including six in 14 games this season.

Roma have been in talks to bring in Stephan El Shaarawy, who has been on loan at Monaco, from AC Milan to replace Gervinho, Italian media have reported.

The 23-year-old striker is believed to have had a medical in Rome on Tuesday ahead of an expected loan move.

(Reporting by Agnieszka Slupska in Gdynia,; Editing by Neville Dalton)