Illarramendi leaves the MLS and moves to an even more exotic league

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18/04/26 21:00:00

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The trajectory of Asier Illarramendi has always been marked by high expectations. Since his beginnings at Real Sociedad, the midfielder from Gipuzkoa was seen as one of the great promises of Spanish football, to the extent that Real Madrid made a strong bet on him in 2013, paying 32 million euros to make him their new midfield leader.

However, his time at the Santiago Bernabéu did not live up to expectations, and after two discreet seasons, he returned to Anoeta to resume his career at home. In San Sebastián, he found stability and prominence, although injuries prevented him from maintaining the consistency necessary to establish himself as the absolute leader of the team. During the 2017/2018 season, he showed his best form, but that level was not sustained. Muscle problems, ankle pains, and long periods in the infirmary eventually undermined his continuity.

Illarramendi heads to China

Faced with this situation, the midfielder decided to embark on a new path. In 2022, he accepted the challenge of the MLS, where he defended the colors of FC Dallas. There, he played for two seasons, becoming an important player in the American championship, which is gaining more prominence thanks to the arrival of European figures. Nevertheless, his contract ended last January, and he remained without a team for several months until an exotic option emerged.

At 35 years old, Illarramendi has said yes to Kitchee SC, a team in the Hong Kong league, which effectively competes within the football system of China. The Basque midfielder will wear the number 5 shirt in a club that recently has been choosing Spanish players to strengthen its squad. There, he will share the dressing room with compatriots such as Roger Riera, Leandro Martínez, and Adrián Revilla, who also arrived from lower league football in Spain.

This signing marks a new chapter in the career of a player who has always been beloved in his homeland but did not manage to reach the status predicted for him in his early steps. Now, far from the pressures of Europe and in a less competitive environment, Illarra will be able to enjoy a more relaxed style of football adapted to his current condition.

His arrival at Kitchee SC confirms the trend of many veteran footballers seeking alternative destinations outside the more demanding circuits. For the Hong Kong club, it represents a media coup to have a player who was part of the European elite and wore the Real Madrid shirt.

The midfielder from Mutriku faces this new challenge with the excitement of continuing to enjoy what he loves the most: playing football. Although he is no longer in the spotlight of the top leagues, his experience and technical quality can make a difference in a championship with less physical demands. With Kitchee SC, Illarramendi aims to close out his professional career leaving a mark in a country where football is still striving to gain more international recognition.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Illarramendi deja la MLS y se marcha a una liga aún más exótica