Amidst Costa’s Chelsea spat, China FA to take action on “irrational” salaries for foreign recruits

Xi Jinping China
Xi Jinping China

The push to get China on the football map has resulted in Chinese clubs spending extravagantly on footballers in recent times. The world’s most populated country has become an attractive destination for footballers considering the money they will earn there. In fact, Chinese Super League clubs splashed out close to $300 million in the winter transfer window on big names.

Shanghai Shenhua recently paid $11 million transfer fee to Argentine club Boca Juniors to acquire Carlos Tevez. Oscar, Hulk, Ramires, Alex Teixeira, Paulinho, Jackson Martinez and  Ezequiel Lavezzi have been other high profile signings for various Chinese clubs recently.

China’s football association on Monday has said that it plans a series of measures in response to “irrational” spending by clubs on transfer fees and player salaries. This comes amid concerns that foreign stars will crowd out local talent, thereby hindering the development of football in the country.

A statement provided by the Chinese Football Association on Monday said that the new measures will address recent irrational investments by clubs, high-figure transfer fees and salaries paid to domestic and international athletes and other issues.

Other rules announced by the CFA appeared firmly aimed at addressing the lack of opportunities for Chinese players. They reduce the number of foreign club players who can appear at any given time from four to three and state that each team’s starting list must include at least two Chinese players under age 23.

This announcement comes in the wake of an offer of £30 million a year to Diego Costa from a club in China. Former team-mate Willian is also understood to be on the radar.

Realising President Xi Jinping’s vision of hosting and winning a football World Cup needs clubs to invest in various departments and certainly, acquiring quality international players from different clubs will aid in the same. However, promoting local talent might take longer, but ultimately, that is something that would push for long-term success.

 

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