The Chinese Football Association recently amended the country's football rules on signing foreign players which stymied what would have been another record-breaking transfer deal involving Chelsea's Diego Costa.
In an official statement announced on the governing body's website on Monday, the CFA said that it would limit the amount of imports Chinese football clubs can sign to only four per team, which includes three non-Asians and one Asian foreigner. Previously, the federation allowed four non-Asians and one Asian import.
During in-game situations, only two non-Asians and one Asian foreign player will now be allowed.
With the said rule amendments, Tianjin Quanjian's billionaire owner Shu Yuhui said that his club's "bid to sign Diego Costa from Chelsea has been scuppered by new rules in the Chinese Super League", according to BBC Sport.
Shu said that moves for Karim Benzema, Radamel Falcao, and Edinson Cavani were all spoiled as well.
"This situation has brought a change to our signing plans," said Shu. "Tianjin would have made a big investment this year had the previous rule remained in place."
Shu confirmed that contracts were already agreed upon with Falcao and Benfica forward Raul Jimenez before the rule amendment on Monday. They almost reached a deal with Costa, but right now it has officially fallen through.
"The online reports about Costa - it's true we'd like him, and we made an offer for Cavani and were deep in negotiations," Shu admitted.
Shu then said that Costa and Cavani are "willing to join them" but Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain did not want to have a deal in the middle of the season.
"We couldn't afford to wait half a season. We continue to wait and suffer, but at the end of the day we'll get someone. We have targeted a lot of strikers, and made an offer for Benzema, but with this policy change, we are very helpless," Shu added.
The Independent reported that Shu had already met with Costa's agent, Jorge Mendes, to discuss the details of a potential $37 million deal, but the new football ruling prevented them from pushing through.