Chinese Super League about to reduce number of foreigners teams can field

The transfer plans of Chinese Super League clubs have been thrown into disarray less than two months before the start of the new season after media reports claimed the Chinese Football Association (CFA) is about to reduce the number of foreign players teams can field in each match. Chinese media have reported that the CFA will allow only three foreigners to play in any Chinese Super League game, although clubs will still be allowed to have five non-Chinese players on their books. The move -- which has yet to be officially announced but is being widely reported -- would see the end of the existing ruling, which allows Chinese clubs to field four foreign players in each game, with one of the slots taken by a player from another Asian nation. They can also have a fifth foreigner on the bench.
Under the proposed new rules, the Asian slot will be removed and clubs will be required to field one Chinese under-23 player in each match and have two in their 18-man matchday squad. All five foreign players will be allowed to be included in the squad but only three can be fielded at any one time. Clubs have already started implementing their transfer strategies and the move, should it be officially ratified, is sure to cause consternation within the league. The transfer window opened on Jan. 1 and many of the 16 top-flight sides have brought in players from Australia, Uzbekistan and South Korea to fill their Asian spots. The new season will kick off on March 4. CSL clubs have spent record-breaking sums so far this year, with Shanghai SIPG at the forefront having forked out an Asian record €60 million to sign Oscar from Chelsea and an additional €7m to take on Uzbekistan's Odil Ahmedov from FC Krasnodar. Their signings come after Andre Villas-Boas joined the club at the end of last year as head coach and the signing of Hulk from Zenit St Peterburg in June for a then-Asian record fee of €55m. Shanghai Shenhua, meanwhile, reportedly made Carlos Tevez the highest-paid player in the world when signing him from Boca Juniors last month. As a result, speculation has been rampant that Chinese clubs will spend huge sums on some of the world's biggest stars, and the proposed move is certain to have a major impact on the transfer market for what remains of the current window.