The likes of Jackson Martinez, formerly from Atletico Madrid, have been lured by China's lavish spending on football stars. (Photo : Getty Images)
Up until the start of 2017, the Chinese Super League looked to be the next go-to league for many of the football world's top stars. But new rules on foreign player limits introduced by the Chinese Football Association (CFA) might have put that trend to the backburner.
Introduced just in time before the new season starts two months from now, the new rules aim to provide balance to the domestic league. USA Today reported that the CFA, through its official website, set the new rule to benefit the development of homegrown players, and consequently that of the China national team.
Copious amounts of money have since been spent by Chinese clubs on some of Europe's biggest stars during the second half of 2016. The likes of Carlos Tevez, Jackson Martinez, Oscar, and Axel Witsel have been prised through mind-boggling salaries and transfer fees.
The CFA's revised rule still allows clubs to sign up to five foreign players as in the previous rule, but they can field no more than three of them during match-days, compared to four before. Said restrictions will no doubt dent many of the side's hopes to make the most out of their massive investments.
Global Times reported that the CFA's last-minute ruling, while serving practical purposes through cutting exorbitant spending and enhancing domestic players, may cause undue advantage to clubs whose five-player quotas on foreigners have yet to be maximized.
Moreover, the new rule, which requires the inclusion of at least one Under-23 player in the starting 11 per match-day, threatens to create a bubble on the value of Chinese youngsters. Plus, with the one-player "Asian quota" now abolished, players from Asian countries might see their values plummet in China.
Taken altogether, it would now seem that the abrupt change in rules have jeopardized the clubs' long-term strategies. From splashing the cash on some of Europe's stars to inflating Chinese youngsters' values, the Chinese Super League may continue to struggle in placing its development strategies on a firm footing.
