Barcelona have announced on their official website that Seydou Keita has decided to leave the club.
The Mali international still had two years left on his contract with Barca, but a clause in the deal says he can leave Camp Nou after failing to feature in at least 50 percent of the club’s official matches last season.
He is expected to sign a two-and-a-half-year deal with newly-promoted Chinese club Dalian Aerbin on Sunday, with the club linked to Didier Drogba and Amauri earlier this year.
“Seydou Keita announced tonight that he will not continue at the club next season,” a Barca statement read.
“Barcelona would like to thank Seydou Keita for his role at the club in the last years and wish him new professional and personal successes in the future.”
Keita signed for Barcelona in 2008 from Sevilla in a deal worth 14 million euros, scoring 22 goals in 168 matches for the Catalans.
He had been linked with a new challenge in recent weeks after a disappointing season in which he made just 22 competitive starts.
