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July 4, 2015

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Sun鈥檚 CSL future 鈥榰ncertain鈥

THE holder of the Chinese Super League transfer record, Sun Ke, is likely to stay with his former club for the rest of the season, and could even be “relegated” to the second-tier league after his sponsor “broke up” with his new club.

The 26-year-old Jiangsu Province native set a new Chinese transfer record when it was announced last month that he would be joining Tianjin Teda from CSL rival Jiangsu Sainty for 66 million yuan (US$10.63 million).

However, Tianjin refused to register Sun with the Chinese Football Association after the club ended its partnership with main sponsor Quanjian Natural Medicine Group.

Tianjin Teda reportedly “held a different opinion about the club’s future development” with Quanjian Group which paid the 66 million yuan for Sun. Tianjin media also reported that Quanjian’s plea for more shares on the team’s broad was rejected by the club, which led to the breakup.

Sun has apparently been training in Nanjing with his former club Sainty, while his “owner” Quanjian completed the takeover of second-tier Tianjin Songjiang this week.

Songjiang is currently 13th in the 16-team Chinese League One. According to Metro Express daily, Quanjian is talking to Sainty about allowing Sun to play for the Jiangsu club for the rest of the season.

Quanjian hopes Tianjin Songjiang will be promoted to the top-tier within two years as Sun, a national team player, was reported to be reluctant to leave the CSL. As it’s almost impossible for Songjiang to be promoted next year, it remains to be seen whether the most expensive player in CSL transfer history will stay in Jiangsu next season or join Songjiang in League One.

Meanwhile, Iceland’s former Barcelona and Chelsea forward Eidur Gudjohnsen has joined the growing ranks of internationals moving to the CSL.

The 36-year-old, who played last season at English second tier side Bolton Wanderers, signed a deal with mid-table Shijiazhuang Ever Bright, Xinhua reported yesterday.

Ever Bright is eighth in the standings in its first season in the Chinese top flight.

CSL clubs have flexed their financial muscle in recent days with Guangzhou Evergrande paying US$15 million for Brazil midfielder Paulinho and also wooing his compatriot Robinho, while Shanghai Shenhua laid out a similar fee for Senegal striker Demba Ba.


 

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