Many may remember 2016/17 as the season the Chinese Super League threatened to make its mark on world football.
In February 2017, Chinese clubs spent a whopping £331m – which equated to £126m more than the Premier League elite did in their own winter transfer window that year.
That splurge followed on from a 2016 of crazy spending for the Chinese Super League, with some of Europe’s big names making the move to the Far East.
Their spending may have calmed down due to regulations put in place on foreign signings – a 100% tax to ensure Chinese talent is still given priority – but some household names are still making their way through.
West Ham United’s Marko Arnautovic is the latest to be linked with a move to the Chinese Super League, with an unnamed club reportedly offering £35m for the Austrian.
Should a deal be made at that price, with Arnautovic’s brother and agent confirming his desire to leave, the forward would become one of the most expensive signings in Chinese Super League history.
But how have the most expensive signings fared in the Chinese Super League so far, and were they worth the money forked out for them?
Read on to see Squawka’s verdict.
10. Odion Ighalo
From: Watford
To: Changchun Yatai
Fee: £20m
After a promising first two seasons with Watford in the Championship and Premier League, in which he scored 39 goals across all competitions, Odion Ighalo started to falter.
Two goals in 20 games during the first half of the 2016/17 season would see Ighalo eventually sold to Changchun Yatai in China, where the Nigerian has found goalscoring form once more.
The 29-year-old has scored 36 goals in 55 Chinese Super League games across two seasons so far and captained Yatai in their most recent campaign. However, 2018 ended in relegation to China’s second division – somewhere Ighalo has confirmed he has no intention of playing.
Barcelona are reportedly one of many interested in the Nigerian, which can only add to the personal success of his China spell.
Verdict: Hit
9. Ramires
From: Chelsea
To: Jiangsu Suning
Fee: £25m
Chelsea’s pre-N’Golo Kante, Ramires spent six season with the Blues before leaving for Jiangsu Suning in January 2016.
Things had started well for the Brazilian, being virtually ever-present for Jiangsu Suning in his first year upon signing, despite having already played half a season with Chelsea.
Ramires got even better in his second season, adding goals into his hard-working style of play and captained the side on a few occasions.
But the Brazilian has since been demoted to the club’s reserve team after failing to force a move to former club Benfica. His last game for Jiangsu Suning came in May 2018.
Verdict: Miss
8. Anthony Modeste
From: FC Koln
To: Tianjin Quanjian
Fee: £25.8m
Anthony Modeste’s spell with Tianjin Quanjian may go down as one of the most controversial in the history of the Chinese Super League.
The French striker initially joined Tianjin from Koln in July 2017 and would play 29 times in all competitions, scoring 16 goals.
But in the summer of 2018 contract disputes arose, with Modeste reportedly appealing for an early termination of his contract – with no official decision by FIFA being made.
Despite all this, Modeste was announced as a new signing by former club Koln in November – something Tianjin have not taken lightly, threatening legal action on the pair.
Verdict: Miss
7. Yannick Carrasco
From: Atletico Madrid
To: Dalian Yifang
Fee: £27m
Dalian Yifang had a busy 2018, signing the likes of Jose Fonte, Nicolas Gaitan and Yannick Carrasco.
The latter left Atletico Madrid for China and kept his place in the Belgium squad for the 2018 World Cup, with the winger starting three matches in the competition en route to an impressive third-place finish.
Carrasco has done fairly well for Dalian Yifang since signing, scoring seven and assisting nine in 26 games to help the club stay in the Chinese Super League.
And the Belgian is now being linked with a return to Europe in 2019, with the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United reportedly interested.
Verdict: Hit
6. Jackson Martinez
From: Atletico Madrid
To: Guangzhou Evergrande
Fee: £31m
Another Atletico Madrid man to have made the move to China, Jackson Martinez was one of the first big names to join the Super League in a crazy 2016.
But, as with Atletico, things just didn’t work out for Martinez at Guangzhou Evergrande, as he scored just four goals in 16 games – a far cry from the 92 in 136 he managed while making his name at Porto.
Martinez has since been loaned out to Brazilian side Portimonense until the end of the 2018/19 season, with his Guangzhou contract set to expire at the end of 2019.
Verdict: Miss
5. Cedric Bakambu
From: Villarreal
To: Beijing Sinobo Guoan
Fee: £35.3m
It was a shock to Villarreal in early 2018 when their top scorer Cedric Bakambu left the club to join Beijing Guoan in the Chinese Super League.
But Bakambu has continued to show his worth in China, with 23 goals in 28 games for his new club in a debut season to remember.
Bakambu’s goals helped Beijing Guoan finish fourth in the Chinese Super League and win the Chinese FA Cup, earning qualification to the 2019 AFC Champions League group stage.
Verdict: Hit
4. Alex Teixeira
From: Shakhtar Donetsk
To: Jiangsu Suning
Fee: £36.4m
Alex Teixeira shocked the wider footballing world in 2016 when he left Shakhtar Donetsk for Jiangsu Suning, despite being heavily linked with a move to Premier League side Liverpool.
The Brazilian has fared pretty well in Chinese since the move, directly contributing to 72 goals in 102 games for Jiangsu Suning including 45 goals for himself.
Teixiera has, however, also allowed some bad aspects of his game to creep in with two red cards in his 102 games – the same tally he received in 223 matches at Shakhtar.
Verdict: Hit
3. Paulinho
From: Barcelona
To: Guangzhou Evergrande
Fee: £44.2m
Paulinho first joined Guangzhou Evergrande in 2015 from Tottenham Hotspur, but would be sold to Barcelona in 2017 and re-signed a year later for a fee reported to be £44.2m.
The Brazilian’s second spell in China has been even better than his first, with the midfielder thrown straight back into the heart of the Guangzhou Evergrande team, getting himself amongst the goals once more.
Since re-signing, Paulinho has contributed to 20 goals in 19 games for the club as they finished second in the Chinese Super League, qualifying for the group stage of the 2019 AFC Champions League.
Verdict: Hit
2. Hulk
From: Zenit St Petersburg
To: Shanghai SIPG
Fee: £46.1m
Another player to snub the Premier League for the Chinese Super League, Hulk joined Shanghai SIPG in June 2016 and has not looked back.
The powerful forward has shown his utility in China, playing across the front line, providing goals from all positions.
In all competitions, Hulk has played 87 games for Shanghai SIPG, scoring 52 and recording a further 43 assists.
During that time, Shanghai SIPG have stepped up a level and finally won their first league trophy in 2018 with Hulk as captain.
Verdict: Hit
1. Oscar
From: Chelsea
To: Shanghai SIPG
Fee: £60m
Signing in January 2017 for £60m, Oscar remains the most expensive signing in the history of the Chinese Super League.
The Brazilian was slated for leaving Chelsea, with many believing it was solely based on financial reasons, but Oscar has thrived in China.
In his first season, the midfielder recorded 17 assists in 39 games while also scoring nine of his own.
Last year, Oscar added to his tally with 16 goals and 24 assists in all competitions, helping Shanghai SIPG win their first league title.
Verdict: Hit
The post Hit or miss? The 10 most-expensive Chinese Super League signings ever appeared first on Squawka News.
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