Yet the capture of the Croatian defender by the 2018 champions for a modest 3.3 million euros fee could prove to be a landmark moment in a league that had become a byword for the largesse of 21st century football.
Club closures and middling transfer fees are a long way from an era when the league had the biggest names in the game looking over their shoulders, but the new campaign is set to usher in a less extravagant era when it kicks off in April. As a result, the current mood is vastly different to a time when, fuelled by the deep pockets of the country’s private sector, Chinese clubs were shaking up the global transfer market.
The moves ignited a scene that had, over the previous four years, been dominated by Guangzhou Evergrande, the club that established the template for success in China.Guangzhou's acquisition of Argentine Dario Conca for a then-record $10 million spurred the club to the first of their seven consecutive league titles in 2011 and owners Evergrande, one of the country's leading property developers, wanted more.
Sverige Senaste nytt, Sverige Rubriker
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