Records smashed in the Chinese Super League

China has shaken up the International Football world in recent times, with the Chinese Government directing national domestic sides to invest heavily in international players. This is due in large to President Xi Jinping wanting to grow China's profile domestically and internationally. This has seen record money being put on the table, even for average players.

Amazingly, so far this transfer season Chinese clubs have spent more on players than the English Premier League.

Below highlights the biggest transfers to the CSL:

Domestic teams have invested over $850m on transfers alone in the past two years, not taking into account the hefty pay packets most of the players are receiving.

Oscar, Hulk and Carlos Tevez now sit among the Top 10 best players in world football. They are on astonishing amounts of money compared to what they were receiving at their respective clubs in Europe.

I personally don't have a problem with players that are over 30, like Tevez and Lavezzi that still hold a strong profile within the game that take up contracts with teams who are attempting to increase the football profile in their country. This can only benefit the game of football as a whole, as well as offer the player consummate income for their role.

As we saw with David Beckham's move to the MLS, investing heavily in a star player towards the end of their career, helps raise the profile of the league and strengthens its development at the grass roots level.

In saying that however, players that are still in their prime and transfer to lesser leagues just to line their pockets should be questioned. Do they not have the desire to perform at the highest level for club and country? Do they hold money over the value of challenging their skills?

From a business perspective, Clubs themselves would be crazy to not accept these mammoth bids for their players, demonstrating a great return on their initial investment.

So how do English clubs compete with this sort of money floating around? The Premier League is still recognised as the most popular and toughest league in the world so the drawcard is there for players who want to perform at the highest level. Mind you the money offered in the Premier League is still substantial an nothing to be scoffed at.

The prestige of playing for one of the top English clubs is still, and will always be significant for players even though their European success has been questioned recently. Would you prefer playing regularly in a team that is competing for the a title in a Europe League or scoring goals to feed your own self-ego or other interests in the Chinese Super League? Only the players themselves can answer this question.

A new proposal that could assist English clubs is the proposed change to the number of foreign players allowed to be fielded by each CSL club. The league has decreased the allowable number down from four to three with the extra spot instead going to a Chinese U-23 player. Conversely this will have a detrimental impact on Chinese teams hoping to jump on the bandwagon of splurging on the worlds best players. Additionally, current internationals plying their trade in China may find it difficult to get playing time with teams having to juggle this new restriction.

Chinese clubs have thrown ridiculous money at Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney recently, so the question has to be asked... With the transfer window still open, will we see a Chinese club break their transfer record again?