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Dutch Int'l Arjen Robben Says He Rejected Offer To Join Chinese Super League

Arjen Robben revealed he "rejected an offer of a move to the Chinese Super League after he agreed to sign a one-year contract extension with Bayern Munich," according to Callum Davis of the London TELEGRAPH. The Netherlands winger "put pen to paper on a new deal this week that will keep him at the Allianz Arena" until June '18. But the former Chelsea and Real Madrid player admitted he "had the opportunity to cash in on a big-money offer to move to China." Robben: "I am having a great time here at Bayern and I am playing at one of the best clubs in the world. I would not know where to move at my age. A transfer to China would be something else entirely. That is basically acknowledging your career is over. I want to keep playing at the highest level as long as possible." Robben's comments on the "emerging power" of Chinese football come after a "flurry of high profile players agreed to move to the Far East" (TELEGRAPH, 1/17). The BBC's Barney Cullum reported Burkina Faso forward Bertrand Traore "expects fellow Africa Cup of Nations stars in Gabon will follow Nigeria captain Jon Obi Mikel and Brazilian Oscar" in joining clubs in the CSL. Mikel signed for Tianjin TEDA and Oscar joined Shanghai SIPG in "two huge January transfer deals as they both left Chelsea." Chinese clubs have been "investing heavily in foreign talent since former Ivory Coast captain Didier Drogba became one of the first high-profile players to head east five years ago." And with the transfer window open through the semifinals of the Nations Cup, "some of the players competing at the tournament may feel they have a chance to put themselves in the frame for a big-money move." However, agent Guy-Michel Boli, brother of Ivory Coast-born Champions League winner Basil Boli, said that "prestigious prizes are just one consideration." Boli said, "African players often have extended families and there are pressures to support as many of them financially as possible." Boli "feels new rules curbing the amount of foreign players Chinese clubs can field ahead of the new season in March will not stem the flow" (BBC, 1/17).

'POLITICAL REALITIES': In Hong Kong, James Porteous reported André Villas-Boas has been given an "insight into the political realities of working in China after his plans for the coming season were thrown into disarray" by the CSL’s "surprise new limit on foreign players." Former Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur boss Villas-Boas took over at Shanghai SIPG "in the summer and immediately smashed the Asian transfer record" by taking Oscar from Stamford Bridge for a reported €60M ($64M). But midway through the winter transfer window, with the start of the season just weeks away, the Chinese FA "peremptorily announced that teams would be allowed to field a maximum of three foreign players in their matchday squads, down from five (four of any nationality plus one Asian)." Shanghai has seven foreign players on its books. Villas-Boas admits his plans "are up in the air after the new edict, which many believe the Chinese government imposed on the CFA." He said, "This decision should have been made after the season, or with a certain buffer, such a huge change shouldn’t be announced about a month before the new season. Most of the clubs’ team building plans have been in accordance with the previous rules. That’s when everyone gets caught off guard" (SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST, 1/17). The BBC reported Tianjin Quanjian's bid to sign Diego Costa from Chelsea "has been scuppered by new rules" in the CSL, according to club Owner Shu Yuhui. Shu claimed Tianjin had "lined up" moves for Spain int'l Costa, 28, and fellow forwards Karim Benzema, Radamel Falcao and Edinson Cavani. Shu: "This situation has brought a change to our signing plans." Shu said that Tianjin would have made a "big investment" this year had the previous rule remained in place (BBC, 1/17).

GOOD NEWS?: In Hong Kong, John Duerden wrote it "may have ruffled a few feathers around the continent" but the decision by the CFA to abolish the so-called "Asian quota" in the CSL is the "right move for the country’s development in the long-term." In the short, it "means chaos as it was announced less than two months before the start" of the '17 season and more than two weeks after the opening of the transfer window, meaning that clubs "have already devised and perhaps executed transfer strategies." But it was "going to happen sooner -- probably in 2018 -- rather than later." Coaches will have to "include at least one" local U23 player in the starting 11 and another in the 18-man matchday squad. More local youngsters "can only be a good thing." It "may not be good for Asia but Chinese football is better off giving home-grown defenders a regular chance to face some of the best attacking talent in the world." It is "time for China to be selfish" (SCMP, 1/17).

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