Reining in the spending spree

It seems inevitable the Chinese Football Association will slash the cash splash in the nation’s pro soccer market, with the latest reports indicating the salary cap for Chinese Super League clubs will be set at just 5.5 million yuan ($796,000) after tax next season.

While no official announcement has been made, Tencent Sports reported on Monday the CFA will set each club’s total expenditure cap at 1.2 billion yuan, the investment cap at 650 million yuan and the before-tax salary cap at 10 million yuan.

Moreover, each CSL club will be permitted to dress four foreign players per game next season, while three foreign players per game will be allowed in the second-tier China League One.

Xinhua reported last month that the CFA will limit first- and second-tier clubs to fees of 45 million yuan for foreign players — a minuscule number in today’s market — and 20 million yuan for domestic players.

The State news agency said that as well as tackling exorbitant fees and salaries, the measures are designed to eradicate tax evasion and stimulate the game’s healthy development in China.

The new numbers are in stark contrast to the $69 million Shanghai SIPG spent in 2016 to sign Brazilian playmaker Oscar and the $62 million the club shelled out for his compatriot Hulk.

According to transfermarkt.com, Guangzhou Evergrande’s Paulinho is the most expensive CSL player, with a market value of $43 million.

Wu Lei, who netted 27 goals to help SIPG secure the CSL title this season, is the most expensive Chinese player, with a market value pegged at $4 million.

Zhang Yuning, China’s lone representative in men’s soccer in Europe who is playing for Dutch side Den Haag on loan from West Bromwich Albion, ranks second on the market value list of homegrown players at $1.7 million.