China: Football's future or ruining the beautiful game?

In light of Graziano Pelle's recent move to Shandong Luneng to become the 6th highest paid footballer in the world, we highlight the impact of the Chinese football league, a league laced with money. The Chinese Super League was founded in 2004 and has expanded to 16 teams,  however rules in the league restrict each team to five foreign players in an attempt to promote native player improvement. All the same this has not stopped clubs from splashing the cash on superstars in other leagues:

Graziano Pelle: Southampton FC --> Shandong Luneng (£12 million) - July 2016

Whilst the transfer fee may not be overly surprising it's Pelle's new wages that really strike the eye. Only Messi,Ronaldo, Neymar, Hulk and Ibrahimovic earn more than the Italian through club salaries alone as Pelle is set to start earning £260 000 a week to total, as much as £38 million in just three years. Pelle turns 31 on Friday and is far from in his prime, however a solid season and 2 goals at the Euros have seen him on the move, many would find it difficult to reject such a staggering offer. Who would not accept a 225% pay rise!?


Papiss Cisse: Newcastle United --> Shandong Luneng (£3 million) -  July 2016

The Senegal striker won't be alone in reminiscing the Premier League days as Pelle will be his strike partner for Shadong Luneng. However I think Cisse's old club will be the last thing on his mind as the 31 year old is set for an inevitable pay rise. Similarly to Newcastle Cisse won't be seeing glory anytime soon, Shandong Luneng are currently slumped second bottom of the Chinese Super League to their manager's Felix Magath's frustration. Given the League finishes in late November/early December, Magath will be hoping his two new men up top can propel the club up, similarly to their rising wages.

Hulk: Zenit St Petersburg --> Shanghai SIPG (£45 million) - June 2016

The Brazilian took just 9 minutes to net on his debut, I suppose motivation to do well is fairly high when you are paid £320 000 a week. Hulk became the most expensive transfer in Chinese Super League history and similarly to Pelle and Cisse has passed the peak of career at 29 years of age. Hulk is coached by former England manager Sven Goran Eriksson and moved to China on the back of 56 goals in 97 league games in Russia.




Alex Teixeira: Shakhtar Donetsk  --> Jiangsu Suning (£38 million) - February 2016

The Chinese club pipped Liverpool to the signature of the Brazilian Central Attacking Midfielder after surpassing the Merseyside's measly £24 million bid. Teixeira broke the record Chinese fee at the time and started off well scoring in both his AFC Champions League and also Chinese Super League debuts. 4 goals in 15 games is far from an immense record from a talented midfielder playing in a league of a standard below his own, however expect the 26 year old to improve further.

Ramires: Chelsea --> Jiangsu Suning (£25 million) - January 2016

The box to box midfielder had put in some below par performances for Chelsea, that's if he got on the pitch ahead of Fabregas and Matic. As a result Chelsea were looking to offload the Brazilian in the January transfer window, and to their amazement he was off to China for an astonishing price. Unlike Hulk and Teixiera, Ramires did not endure the best of debuts after he was sent off in the dying minutes. In total Ramires has made 8 appearances and netted twice, however I'm sure Ramires is out there for the money ahead of glory.

Fredy Guarin: Inter Milan --> Shanghai Greenland Shenhua (£9 million) - January 2016

The Colombian midfielder left Inter Milan for Shanghai in the transfer window despite making over 100 appearances for the former club. Guarin has endured a mediocre campaign in China with just a single goal to his name. Similarly to Hulk, Pelle and Cisse, age is not on Guarin's side, at 29 years of age his career is nearing its later years. Don't expect Guarin to fear retiring however, given his enormous salary in China.

Is there anything wrong with this?

Whilst China are doing their best to limit such ridiculous transfers (the 5 foreigners rule) it's clear that clubs will try their hardest to acquire the highest calibre of players at their club. Currently 19.8% of players in the Chinese league are foreign, do not be surprised to see this figure rise in coming years in what is the fastest growing football league. Some may argue that money is destroying football, which to a limit is true, not only in China but Britain too as the likes of Wayne Rooney are earning as much as £300 000 a week. Perhaps the FA should look to China and introduce a foreigners rule to help improve English talent and game time in the EPL, however this is unlikely given each club's desire to splash the cash on the likes of Aguero, De Bruyne and Sanchez.