The Ping’an Chinese Super League (CSL) has returned, and kicked off on 2nd March. This new season brings 15 teams the challenge of dethroning Guangzhou Evergrande, after their winning of seven consecutive titles. Shanghai, Hebei, Tianjin and possibly our own Nanjing look like the main contenders. With new rules, managers and foreign players, the 2018 season seems to be tighter than ever before, while Dalian Yifang and Beijing Renhe are promoted from China League One to replace the relegated Yanbian and Liaoning.
Transfers
As of last summer, transfers have a 100 percent tax. If the transfer fee is less than ¥45 million, the same amount must be invested in the buyer club’s budget for youth football; more than that amount, the tax must be paid to the government development fund. This rule was also intended to curb CSL clubs’ spendthrift. During the last two winter transfer windows, CSL teams spent more than any other league in the world. In 2017, Chinese clubs spent almost US$500 million; for this season the expenditure has been almost five times less.
The Main Contenders
Shanghai SIPG have a managerial change after Andre Villas Boas decided not to extend his contract. Another Portuguese, Vitor Pereira, will be his replacement. Expected as the main team to fight Guangzhou Evergrande for the title, the club did not majorly engage during the transfer window and will bet on the continuity of its stars Oscar, Hulk, Ekelson and Wu Lei.
Ex-Fiorentina coach, Paulo Sosa will take charge of third-place Tianjin Quanjian, where strikers Anthony Modeste and Alexandre Pato are expected to fight at the top goal scorers table. Hebei Fortune’s confidence in the battle for the title is high after the big signing of Mascherano and being the second complete season of Manuel Pellegrini, as their manager gives the club a real chance in the season, but they have to gain consistency in the results. Nanjing local club, Fabio Capello’s Jiangsu Suning, will try to fight back after a disastrous 2017 season. Palleta must bring experience to defence, a main problem last year, although departure on loan of Benjamin Moukandjo to Beijing Renhe could be a weakness in attack. If new signing, ex-Juventus striker Richmond Boakye nets regularly, it might be a club to consider in the top four.
New Stars
After the main departures of Paulinho and Tevez, and contractual releases of Stephen Mbia and Jackson Martinez, other famous players have arrived to China’s top football level. Probably the most famous and by far the most successful player to arrive is the ex-Barcelona and Argentinian vice-captain Javier Mascherano, who has signed to Hebei Fortune. French-born Congolese striker Cedric Bakambu has left Villareal to join Beijing Guo’An, while other players arriving from the Spanish League are midfielder Augusto Fernandez, who will play with Beijing Renhe, his ex-Atletico de Madrid’s teammates Nicolas Gaitan and Yannick Carrasco, who join Dalian Yifang and Jonathan Viera, coming from Las Palmas, and going to Bakambu’s new club. Finally, our own Jiangsu Suning have signed Italian 32-year old centre back Gabriel Palleta from AC Milan and Ghanaian striker Richard Boakye from Red Star Belgrade.
