‘No big names’ in 2021 Chinese Super League warns Dusko Tosic

Former Guangzhou R&F defender Dusko Tosic says salary cap and Covid-19 restrictions will see end of star signings

Serbian defender has followed teammates and coach Giovanni van Bronckhorst out of the exit door

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Hulk, Oscar and Elkeson pictured among Shanghai SIPG players celebrating an AFC Champions League goal in 2017. Photo: AFP

Published: 12:07pm, 21 Dec 2020Updated: 12:09pm, 21 Dec 2020

Former Chinese Super League footballer Dusko Tosic has said that he cannot see big name footballers going to China next year because of the salary cap and Covid-19 restrictions.

“I am almost certain that there will be no big football names in Chinese football next year,” former Guangzhou R&F player Dusko Tosic told Serbian news agency Tanjug over the weekend.

“Circumstances have changed for 2021 largely due to the coronavirus. I don’t know what it will be like in 2022, but I wouldn’t expect the next championship to see a big transfer in China.”

The Chinese Football Association announced a more stringent salary cap from next season and the CSL is expected to be played out with players, staff and officials isolated in a bubble as it was last season.

Tosic, who played 11 times for Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side last season, has decided to leave the club, as have the head coach and teammate Renatinho, while the loan spells of Adrian Mierzejewski and Richairo Zivkovic have also ended.