Chinese Super League transfer boom over, says Shanghai SIPG boss Andre Villas-Boas
Most recent window sees only French striker Anthony Modeste move to Tianjin Quanjian, with other activity made up of free transfers and loanees as new rules take effect
Andre Villas-Boas believes the heady days of big spending in the Chinese Super League are over, calling swingeing new regulations that stymied the transfer market “a big surprise”.
The Shanghai SIPG coach has Brazilian stars Oscar and Hulk at the club after Super League teams splashed the cash in the winter and in transfer windows before that.
The most high-profile arrival was French striker Anthony Modeste to Tianjin Quanjian.
Modeste joined Tianjin on loan from Cologne in Germany with a view to a €29 million (HK$267 million) permanent move.
“The change of regulations implicates that the market will probably stop in China regarding this kind of transfer,” said Villas-Boas, who has been a constant critic of a series of rules introduced this season, including ones concerning the number of foreign players allowed in a squad and also governing the required use of players aged under 23.