Clubs go on a record transfer shopping spree

Shopping by Super League clubs went up a notch on the 2014/2015 transfer market as they spent 108 million euros ($121.2 million) on players.

The money spent on transfers of Chinese top-flight clubs beat most of the top leagues in the world, standing only second to the English Premier League, according to statistics released by Germany's Transfer Market on Friday when the Chinese winter transfer window closed.

The spending brought in 47 foreign players and saw 62 Chinese players move to new clubs. It surpassed last year's record of 68.72 million euros and doubled the number of foreign names in the league.

Former Brazilian league top scorer Dario Conca returned to China and joined Shanghai SIPG club after one year at Brazilian club Fluminense.

"I hope I can repay you with better performance. Thank you China," he wrote on his micro blog.

Conca, the latest signing by former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson, set a record transfer fee of 8.9 million euros four years ago.

This was beaten by Evergrande's payment of 15 million euros for Brazil international Ricardo Goulart and 11 million for Brazilian striker Alan Carvalho from Red Bull Salzburg.

Iceland internationals Vidar Kjartansson and Solvi Ottersen are new signings of Jiangsu Sainty and Beijing Guo'an gave striker Erton Fejzullahu a 2-year contract.

The riches brought pressure, too, as heavy-spending clubs try to make ends meet.

Chen Xuyuan, president of Shanghai International Port (Group) Co (SIPG), said the wild spending should end.

"After all, soccer is a sport. If money can solve everything, then it is no longer a sport," he said.