China Soccer Pioneer Calls for Rational Signings to Avoid Bubble
- Government criticism of spending triggered abrupt rule change
- Chinese teams have paid record amounts to import global stars
Chelsea’s Oscar, pictured, joined Shanghai SIPG for a fee of $75 million.
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Days after China abruptly began scrutinizing the recruitment of foreign players into the country’s dominant Super League, one of the most influential men in Chinese soccer cautioned the industry not to overreact to the rules by turning their backs on overseas athletes altogether.
"I don’t hope things suddenly move to another extreme," CMC Holdings Co. Chairman Li Ruigang, whose firm backed the record $1.2 billion purchase of the Super League’s broadcasting rights, said in an interview at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. "China needs international talents to bring skills, boost the ratings, popularity of the games, make the games more attractive."