Chinese clubs curb import indulgence

In the 2017 winter transfer window, the Chinese Super League outspent the English Premier League by $422 million compared to $315 million.

A year later, England or Spain is set to take over the top spot and Chinese soccer officials are perfectly happy.

Alarmed by the amount of money heading into the pockets of foreign players, clubs and agents, authorities in Beijing moved to slow down the market and it seems to have worked.

"The relative lack of spending in the Chinese transfer window reflects the ongoing moderation of the market for players by China's state authorities," Simon Chadwick, professor of Sports Business at Salford University in England, told Associated Press.

"Following several highvalue deals over the past two years, several regulatory interventions were made."

The two most influential came into effect in 2017. Just before the season started in March, the Chinese Football Association (CFA) reduced the number of foreign players that could be named to a match-day roster from five to three, reducing demand.

In June, a so-called ' transfer tax' was introduced that stipulated any club which was in debt and was signing a foreign player had to pay an amount equal to the transfer fee into a soccer development fund.

Last summer's transfer window was especially quiet with the only signing of note that of French striker Anthony Modeste joining Tianjin Quanjian for $43 million in July.

So far this winter window, there has been plenty of rumors but no big moves.

When it was reported that Beijing Guo'an and Guangzhou Evergrande were battling it out for Borussia Dortmund's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Borussia Dortmund, valued at $86 million, the CFA reminded the clubs of the rules.

"The CFA has sent a letter to the respective clubs to ask for an explanation. The CFA will deal seriously with any violation of its regulations," a statement said.