China's expansion into Europe, at home set to continue

Chinese investors will continue to buy heavily into European clubs and the country's own clubs will step up their pursuit of big name players to compete in their Super League, two leading figures in Chinese football have said. Alex Teixeira, Ramires and Jackson Martinez are among the players to recently move for huge fees from Europe to the Chinese Super League, while Chinese investors have stakes in major clubs such as Inter Milan, Manchester City and Espanyol.

"More big names will undoubtedly follow to China because the marquee players drive visibility of the game and the money is there to attract them," Paul Duffen, former chairman of Hull City and now an expert in Chinese football told Reuters. "English players will start to go; I can very much see Wayne Rooney playing in China," he added.

"I'm sure China will become an end-of-career option just as the Middle East and MLS are."

The Chinese FA's marketing director Li Jiuquan said England and Manchester United captain Rooney would be one of the most attractive signings the CSL could make. "Wayne Rooney is well known in China ... even my son knows the name of Rooney," he told Reuters. "Maybe only Messi and Ronaldo are more famous.