Jiangsu's record signing Ramires scores on debut

BEIJING: Jiangsu Suning's record signing Ramires has paid immediate dividends for his new club after he scored on his debut for the Chinese outfit.
The Brazilian midfielder, who arrived from Chelsea last month for 28 million euros (RM128 million), side-footed a volley from a right-wing cross to open the scoring in Jiangsu's 2-0 friendly win over FK Anzhi Makhachkala of Russia.
The 28-year-old's transfer fee was a record for a Chinese club — until Asian champions Guangzhou Evergrande signed Atletico Madrid's Jackson Martinez for 42 million euros (RM192 million) a week later.
The deals underline the financial clout of Chinese football, whose ambitions include both hosting and winning a World Cup.
Factoring in the top two levels of the sport, Chinese clubs have so far spent 251.0 million euros in the current transfer period — which runs until February 26 in China — while English clubs splashed out 285.9 million euros before the European window closed on Monday, according to the transfermarkt website.
The second-tier China League One ranked ahead of the Bundesliga in Germany, Spain's Primera Division and France's Ligue 1 for spending. — AFP