There wasn’t much activity in Europe during the January transfer market, but Chinese clubs have decided to start throwing money around.
Chelsea midfielder Ramires went out to Asia, and has been followed by Jackson Martinez of Atlético Madrid (for €40m) and Liverpool target Alex Teixeira (€50m), who was previously at Shakhtar Donetsk.
No wonder clubs are accepting such huge offers, and the Chinese clubs are showing huge ambition to even make them – Chelsea reportedly rejected a £57m bid for Brazilian midfielder Oscar during the window – so should we be aware of Chinese football and its apparently imminent rise?
“Yes, of course. Because China looks to have the financial power to move a whole league of Europe to China,” Arsène Wenger said to the press on Friday morning.
“We are long enough in this job to know that it’s just a consequence of economic power and they have that. Will they sustain their desire to do it? Let’s remember, a few years ago, Japan started to do it and slowed down after. I don’t know how deep the desire in China is, but if there’s a very strong political desire, we should worry.”
For years now the Premier League has been the most watched league in the world, attracting stars with lucrative offers before selling television right for billions. But what if there’s a new player at the table; what will a player even English clubs will struggle to compete with do to the market?
We already know that the Premier League is set for a huge new broadcasting deal, with clubs about to see huge benefits on spreadsheets. With that money likely to go on expensive new assets on the pitch, the rise of Chinese football will only see transfer fees spiral even further out of control.
“I believe that anyway the inflation is on our doors with the next TV deal in the summer, it will move up again the transfer prices,” Wenger said. “I am sure that soon the £100m target will be easy to reach.”
A scary thought, and one which will almost see fans paying the price for once again. You want the best? Be prepared to pay for it.