Premier League manager remembers where they were when the Chinese Super League threatened to take over football.Antonio Conte would likely back himself in most touchline argey bargeys, but the then Chelsea manager was petrified of China’s sudden ascent within football. “The Chinese market is a danger for all” the now Tottenham Hotspur boss said in 2017, shortly after Blues midfielder Oscar shocked the footballing world by becoming one of the first high-profile players to move to China.Didier Drogba may have moved to China in 2012, but the Blues legend was in the twilight of his career, while Oscar was only just entering his prime years.
But with the Chinese Super League crippling beneath a financial crisis and the decision to cap the number of foreign exports, Daily Star Sport considers six players who quickly returned to Europe after a stint in China.Read More: 4 top footballers still playing in Chinese Super League and earning an absolute fortune Witsel was one of the finest defensive midfielders in Europe when he suddenly switched Zenit St Petersburg for Tianjin Tianhai.
At the time he was only 27-years-old, had 78 international caps for Belgium, and was frequently courted by some of the best clubs in Europe.But after less than eight months in China, Witsel decided he’d had enough, eventually joining Borussia Dortmund.
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