An Eastern odyssey for Europe's big names?

What clubs would you link the likes of Wayne Rooney, Sergio Aguero and Bastan Schweinsteiger to? Real Madrid? Barcelona? Anzhi Makhachkala perhaps at a stretch?

Nope, nein and niet, the correct answer is unidentified clubs in the Chinese SuperLeague; congratulations to all three of you that thought of that particular answer.

That is what the Daily Express is reporting today; that in the wake of Didier Drogba going on an (obligatory journalistic cliché alert) Oriental adventure, Chinese clubs are keen to sign up more big name players from Europe to boost their league and grab a slice of the fanbase in China that is currently the property of the Premier League.

In a remarkably non-racist piece that only makes a lousy stereotype once by using the phrase “Chinese takeaway” on a single occasion, the Express says that Chinese clubs are targeting the above players and more to the country.

The rumour isn’t 100% solid gold as of yet as neither the clubs nor the specific players are mentioned; it is more of a hypothetical situation backed up by quotes from a professor from Coventry University which, in the curious world of football, having such a qualification and making a quote is of less value than say, an agent’s quote but hey ho.

Professor Simon Chadwick reasons that: “They are not prepared to accept Europe’s cast-offs any more. They want the likes of Rooney, Sergio Aguero and Bastien Schweinsteiger, Players like them would be much more significant – and then the floodgates really will open. If Chinese football is successful globally, it makes China and its politicians look good. And it gives owners of football clubs political influence.”

Which all sounds fairly plausible to my ‘only-undergraduate-degree’ educated mind so, given perhaps lots of time, this could well happen in a future coming soon.

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