The January transfer window has been a spectacularly busy one for Chinese Super League clubs and Lukas Podolski is the latest in an increasingly long list of Europe's stars to be heading there.
After a well travelled career characterised by two wonderful spells with his boyhood club FC Koln, Podolski will head to the Chinese capital to sign for Beijing Guoan this month.
In a press conference held in Antalya on Saturday, Levent Nazifoglu, a member of Galatasaray's board of directors, told the media that the German was in the process of finalising a transfer away from the Turkish giants.
"The transfer to Beijing Guoan is in its final phase," he explained.
Galatasaray are stationed in Antalya where they are preparing for the second half of the season and the German forward's departure has come as a surprise.
The club were not willing to sell their players but they have received an offer than couldn't be turned down, and Podolski was keen on the move in any event.
"The player is in favour of the transfer away," Nazifoglu said.
It feels as if the Chinese clubs are battling with each other to announce a new star signing every day.
Friday saw John Obi Mikel confirm his move to Tianjin Teda and this followed Carlos Tevez, Oscar and Axel Witsel as the three highest profile names to arrive in Southeast Asia this winter.