Guangzhou (China), Jun 29 (IANS): Blackburn and Nigerian striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni is set to complete his move to Guangzhou R&F very soon, a top official of the Chinese Super League side said.

"The deal is almost done as he has passed his physical. We will make an official announcement very soon," Guangzhou R&F vice president Lu Yi told Xinhua.

Yakubu, 29, arrived in Guangzhou Monday night to finalize the proceedings of his transfer.

The Nigerian admitted that he knew little about the Chinese league, saying former Chelsea duo Nicolas Anelka and Didier Drogba played a part in his decision to come to China.

"To be frank, I hadn't watched a single game of Chinese league in England, but recently it has been a hot topic since the acquisition of Nicolas Anelka and Didier Droba," Yakubu said.

"Some club in West Asia has offered me an even bigger deal than Guangzhou, but I noticed more and more high profile players are joining China. This has given me confidence," he added.

Less famous than the former Chelsea duo, Yakubu has been prolific as well. He scored 114 goals in 10 years in English leagues since he joined Portsmouth in 2002. He has been a regular for the Nigerian national team since 2000 and scored 21 goals in 54 appearances.

Guangzhou R&F are currently fourth in the Chinese Super League table. The club reportedly offered the Nigerian a yearly salary of five million euros plus a bonus based on performance. But the club refused to comment on the report.

"The most important thing is that Yakubu is our first choice, we believe he can be more successful than Drogba in China," Lu said.