Rafa Benitez is poised to make his first signing in the Chinese Super League with the £16.5 million capture of Salomon Rondon.

Benitez quit Newcastle for ambitious Dalian Yifang earlier this month and is set to complete the signing of Rondon, the West Bromwich Albion forward, in the next few days.

Rondon has a release clause in his contract at the Hawthorns and it is understood the Venezuela international will sign a three-year deal in China, worth a staggering £8 million a year in wages.

Benitez signed Rondon on loan from West Brom last summer and it was Newcastle’s reluctance to make the deal permanent which increased the tension at St. James’ Park. He scored 12 goals during his loan at Newcastle.

But Rondon is now expected to fly out to China in the next 48 hours and bring an end to his four-year spell at West Brom.

View more!

The 29 year old will become the latest high-profile sale for Slaven Bilic’s West Brom, after the exits of Jay Rodriguez and Craig Dawson.

Benitez was named as Dalian Yifang’s new manager on July 2, two days after his departure from Newcastle was confirmed.

He has since guided the club to two successive wins to take them away from the relegation zone, while attendances are also on the rise.