Riches draw foreign players to Chinese league

Shopping spree by Chinese Super League clubs kicked up a notch on the 2014/2015 transfer market as they lashed out over 100 million euros to buy players.

The money spent on transfers of Chinese top-flight clubs beat most of the top leagues in the world, standing only second to the English Premier League, according to the statistics released by Germany's Transfer Market on Friday when the Chinese winter transfer window closed.

The 108 million euros spending brought in 47 foreign players and saw 62 Chinese players move to new clubs. It surpassed last year's record of 68.72 million euros and doubled the number of foreign names in the 16-team league.

Former Brazilian league top scorer Dario Conca returned to China and joined Shanghai SIPG club after only one year at Brazilian club Fluminense. He had three successful seasons with Chinese champions Guangzhou Evergrande.

The 31-year-old, who had been struggling to fit in Chinese soccer during his first stay, is said to be unhappy at Fluminense due to a delay in payment of image rights.

"I hope I can repay you with better performance. Thank you China," wrote the Argentine on weibo, Chinese equivalent to Twitter, on Saturday night.

However, Conca, the latest in a series of signings by former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson, is no longer the center of attention as he was four years ago when he arrived in China as the most expensive foreign player.

His then record transfer fee of 8.9 million euros was easily beaten by Evergrande's recent payment of 15 million euros for Brazil international Ricardo Goulart and 11 million for another prolific Brazilian striker Alan from Austria's Red Bull Salzburg.

Aside from the South American legion which also includes Shandong's Brazil international forward Diego Tardelli, European players from lesser leagues also found their niches in China.

Iceland internationals Vidar Kjartansson and Solvi Ottersen are the new signings of Jiangsu Sainty while Beijing Guo'an gave striker Erton Fejzullahu a two-year contract after loaning the Swedish international in July 2014.

South Koreans are also a force to watch as Cho Yong-Hyung of Shijiazhuang, Park Ju Sung of Guizhou and Kim Ju Young of Shanghai SIPG will make their appearances.

The riches brought attractions, as well as pressure, as heavy-spending clubs try to make ends meet. In Transfer Markt report, Chinese Super League was struck with a 86 million euros in the red, also a world leading figure.

Chen Xuyuan, president of Shanghai International Port (Group) Co (SIPG), said the wild spending should not last.

"After all soccer is a sport. If money can solve everything, then it is no longer a sport," he said, when asked about incentive mechanism of the club.

"My ideal is to make a financial balance. Now China's soccer industry is in the low tide, but as long as the club is operated in line with market principles by professional hands in the years to come, we can reach a financial balance," he said.