HONG KONG—Cristiano Ronaldo’s headline-grabbing arrival at Al Nassr on a bumper pay deal captured global attention last month, but in an alternate world the five-time Ballon D’or winner may well have been destined for a move further east.
The Portuguese striker’s Saudi Arabia switch following the cancellation of his Manchester United contract has highlighted a shift within Asian soccer that started before the COVID-19 pandemic and which continues to have a significant impact.
With money pouring into clubs often owned by debt-fueled property developers, the Chinese Super League (CSL) had been enticing an increasing number of leading players and coaches to the country since early last decade….