Chinese clubs spend $430 million

Professional soccer has become the latest target of China’s “explosive shopping sprees.” Chinese club’s spending hit €400 million ($434 million) in the most recent January-February “transfer window”, according to Transmarkt.

Clubs in China’s top football division, the Chinese Super League(CSL), spent €337 million ($366 million) in the recent transfer window, outstripping the world’s other soccer leagues.

The record-beating fees, paid out on player transfers during the two month window that ended at midnight on 26th February, are four times more than China’s previous record and nearly $100 million more than the English Premier League’s €253 million blowout. Indeed, CSL clubs spent more than the other four major European leagues (Italy, Germany, France, and Spain) combined, according to Transmarkt.

Taking the second-tier League One soccer clubs into account, China spent nearly €400 million ($434 million) in this transfer window. Of that, nearly €290 million went to foreign players.

Some of the world’s top soccer players have headed to China amid the gold rush, including former Atletico Madrid striker Jackson Martinez and midfielder Ramires who came from Chelsea. In one €50 million deal, China’s Jiangsu Suning beat Liverpool in the bidding for Brazilian striker Alex Teixeira, making him the most expensive of the winter transfers. 

Source: qz.com

Proofread by John Devlin.