Swiss media said that Axel Witsel is at the height of his football career. The 27-year-old Belgian midfielder of Zenit St. Petersburg faces an important career move – to one of Europe's top football clubs like Juventus. But instead of accepting an offer from Italy's championship-setting club, he signed a three-year deal with Tianjin Quanjian Club with an annual salary of more than 20 million Swiss francs (about 136 million yuan – this online note). It was a Chinese club with no history or fame. This transfer is not important sports at all. Because the level of the Chinese Super League is much lower than that of other Asian countries such as Japan and South Korea.
According to the Swiss "Neue Zurich" website reported on January 8, Witsel is no exception. Oscar dos Santos Nboabba Junio, 25, moved from Premier League Club Chelsea to Shanghai SIPG. Carlos Tevez transferred to the football-unknown country with an annual salary of more than 80 million Swiss francs (about 546 million yuan – this net note), becoming the world's highest-paid player. Real Madrid is also said to have received an offer from China this week to bring in Cristiano Ronaldo for more than 30 million Swiss francs (about 204 million yuan). In addition, some clubs in Britain, Italy and France are currently in Chinese hands. Football officials and fans fear being Chinese in power.
European football clubs are mainly advertising vehicles for Chinese. But over the years, wealthy individuals, especially state-owned enterprises, have also poured money into Chinese football. This is consciously promoted by the government. "Whoever invests in football — both at home and abroad — gets the political favor of the Chinese government," said Cameron Wilson, founder of The British Fanatical Oriental Football website and a longtime observer of Chinese football.
The investments are part of a strategy to make football a popular sport in China. Ambitious goals include hosting the Soccer World Cup and even winning the title. In addition, social cooperative behaviors weakened by the one-child policy should be reinforced through team movements.
China has long pushed for investment in football. "China has a clear example: the Premier League," Wilson said. Such a league can bring money, influence and prestige, and is another channel for Chinese propaganda. He said: "The government believes that a modern country should have a prestigious football league. ”
At present, China is no longer far from such a goal. The level of domestic league and Chinese players is terrible. Wilson estimates that probably only 5 Chinese able to catch up with the level of mid-team players in Europe's top leagues. China does not yet have an amateur league like Switzerland, let alone a systematic youth training work.
Wilson said China is a big country watching the ball, but not a big country in football. The enthusiasm for the sport is there. Anyone who has seen the Shanghai Derby is convinced of this. Tickets were sold out, the audience reached 46,000 people, and the atmosphere was warm. China has an average of 24,000 spectators per game. Big star transfers will draw more people to the arena.
China is training players in its own way for the future top league. The government wants to make football compulsory in primary and secondary schools, and it has promised to create thousands of football-specific schools in a 50-point plan.
These plans have not even been seriously implemented, and self-doubt has emerged. Now the government has announced that it will interfere with the club's transfer policy and limit player salaries and transfer fees. China recognizes that it is burning money. It seems that Chinese have understood that a few huge transfers and a few big stars will not make China a football power. (Compiler/Nie Litao)
On December 29, 2016, Shanghai Greenland Shenhua Football Club officially announced that it had reached a transfer agreement with Boca Youth Football Club in Argentina, and Carlos Alberto Tevez officially joined Shanghai Shenhua. Xinhua News Agency
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