Chinese Super League: Wu Lei and Yannick Carrasco offer different takes on the visibility of football in China as transfer rumours link Arsenal and Bayern Munich

Nine out of 10 Chinese football fans support Espanyol, according to a recent story in Spanish newspaper Marca.

“Since his arrival in La Liga Santander, 89 per cent of Chinese football fans have pledged their allegiances to Los Periquitos,” they wrote, citing Kantar research.

A great success for Espanyol over all those teams who have been making it their business to court Chinese fans over the last couple of decades but that is not quite what the study actually said, of course.

According to their research, 89 per cent of Chinese fans were able to identify that Wu joined Spanish side Espanyol who he fired into the Europa League on the last day of the season.

This compared to the 67 per cent that knew where he played before signing for the Barcelona-based side in January, Chinese Super League champions Shanghai SIPG. One in 10 respondents thought he played for city rivals Shanghai Shenhua.

What this says about the visibility of the Chinese Super League among the general public is hard to say, or it could just be that Wu’s celebrity has increased manifold back home with a move to one of the most visible leagues in world football.

Visibility is not an issue for Dalian Yifang’s Yannick Carrasco. The Belgian international has been heavily linked with a return to Europe this transfer window, with English Premier League side Arsenal the hotly-tipped destination.

However, he was nowhere to be seen this weekend, though. A delayed flight on his return from international duty meant he missed his connection to Beijing and with it the opportunity to play against Hebei China Fortune on Saturday.

“For reasons beyond my control, I was unable to arrive in time to help my team today,” he wrote on Twitter, while reiterating his commitment to the CSL club’s cause.

“My desire to win matches with Dalian is intact. I wish my team good luck! I'll be there to help my club, my president win the next one.”

That desire is not going to be scrutinised for much longer as Carrasco is expected to leave.

The 25-year-old has also been linked with Bayern Munich, although it is the Chinese club that hold all the cards for any deal and they are said to be holding out for US$38 million.

This is the time of year when people start paying more attention to the CSL, not so much for the football but the perceived spending power of its clubs.

The rumour mill is in full effect now with the European leagues on their summer breaks and player agents eager to earn their 15 per cent.

There will no doubt be moves in and out this summer, with the window for Chinese clubs to register players for the second half of the season opening on July 1.

Hebei will feel like they already have a new signing now that star man Ezequiel Lavezzi has finally made his first appearance of the season. The former Argentina international came off the bench and scored the only goal of the game against the Carrasco-less Dalian.

Meanwhile, Wu Lei’s former club lost 2-0 to Guangzhou Evergrande. The champions ruled out replacing last season’s golden boot and that may cost them because Shenhua lost 2-1 in the “China Derby” to league leaders Beijing Guoan.

Those results mean that the capital club are five points clear a third of the way into the season and looking good for a first title in a decade. It also means Shenhua, who have spent all but one of their 67 years in existence in the Chinese top flight, are staring relegation in the face.

They, more than any other club, could do with reinforcements and they might have a foreign player spot open if Fredy Guarin leaves as rumoured.

The strugglers are also missing Oscar Romero who is on Copa America duty with Paraguay, the only Chinese Super League player called up – League One side Shijiazhuang Everbright’s Marcelo Moreno is also there with Bolivia.

Shenhua’s lot is made worse with top scorer Odion Ighalo out in Egypt for the African Cup of Nations with Nigeria meaning they are without their most reliable source of goals for a month.

He is not the only African player to get the nod for the tournament.

Clarence Seedorf backtracked on his bizarre ban on picking players at Chinese clubs by selecting Henan’s Christian Bassogog for Cameroon, while Beijing Renhe’s Ayub Timbe is there with Kenya.

Beijing Guoan’s Cedric Bakambu is there with DR Congo and Nyasha Mushekwi, who was sent off for Dalian Yifang on Saturday, is there with Zimbabwe.

The risk for their clubs is that good performances with their countries could lead to other clubs trying to secure their services.

• Game of the week was in Guangzhou where R&F went from 3-1 up in the 61st minute to 4-3 down just 11 minutes later. CSL new boys Wuhan Zall spoiled league top scorer Eran Zahavi’s celebrations after he added another match ball to his collection.
• Quickest sub of the week: 55 seconds for Tiajin Tianhai. Let’s hope that Wen Junjie gets his appearance bonus.