Salomon Rondon has agreed to a mutual termination of his Everton contract.
The 33-year-old will leave Merseyside 18 months on from being brought to the club from Chinese side Dalian by former manager Rafa Benitez. He leaves in search of more playing time after struggling to feature under Frank Lampard.
Rondon’s future at Everton was looking in doubt heading into January after the Venezuela international rarely featured in the opening part of the season. As the World Cup approached Lampard opted to give opportunities to younger players ahead of the veteran striker, with teen star Tom Cannon earning minutes in the league and cup games at Bournemouth just before the break.
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Rondon had been the subject of interest over the summer, including from clubs in the Middle East, but opted to fight for his place at Goodison Park. However, he featured rarely - even amid a forward crisis following the injury that ruled Dominic Calvert-Lewin out for the opening months of the season.
His last start was in the Carabao Cup tie at Fleetwood Town. He also started the Premier League match at home to Nottingham Forest days earlier. But despite being the club's only fit, recognised first-team striker before the arrival of Neal Maupay, Lampard largely chose to experiment with Anthony Gordon leading the front line.
Last season Rondon scored a brace in the 2-0 FA Cup win over Boreham Wood but struck just once in the Premier League - though he did make a handful of useful cameos in the final games of last season before being sent off in the home defeat to Brentford.
His appearances had been fleeting even with Everton's struggle for goals this season and, with Lampard plotting to sign two attacking players in January, his opportunities were looking set to be further restricted before the expiration of his contract in the summer.
A statement from the Blues reads: "Everyone at Everton wishes Salomon all the best for the future."
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