Topics: Chinese Super League, Marouane Fellaini, Carlos Tevez
Ezequiel Lavezzi became the highest earner in Chinese Super League history when he joined Hebei China Fortune - and nobody has pocketed more since.
The Argentine forward, who completed his move to China from Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2016, earned a reported £798,000 a week during his three-year spell at the Langfang Stadium.
If those numbers are indeed correct, then Lavezzi picked up £41.5million a year in the CSL, where he scored 35 goals in 74 games before announcing his retirement at the end of November in 2019.
It looks unlikely that anybody will surpass Lavezzi's overall earnings after the Chinese Super League imposed a salary cap on foreign signings last year to 'curb money football' and support the national team.
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But looking back, who will go down in history as the CSL's highest-paid players?
From former Manchester United and Manchester City forward Carlos Tevez, who reportedly earned £634,615-per-week during his time at Shanghai Shenhua, to former Chelsea midfielder Oscar, who still plays in the league.
Here is a top 10 list of the Chinese Super League's highest paid players via The Daily Star.
10. Marouane Fellaini - £205,000-per-week (Shandong Luneng)
The Belgian midfielder completed a move to Shandong Luneng from Manchester United in 2019 for an undisclosed fee, understood to be around £10.5 million. He still plays for the club.
9. Eder - £213,000-per-week (Jiangsu)
In the summer of 2018, Eder joined Jiangsu Suning from Inter Milan for a reported €5.5 million. He scored 32 goals in 60 games for the club during a two-year spell before signing for Brazilian side Sao Paulo in March 2021.
8. Paulinho - £230,000-per-week (Guangzhou Evergrande)
Brazil international Paulinho joined one of China's biggest clubs Guangzhou Evergrande from Premier League side Tottenham for £9.9 million in 2015. He spent two years at Evergrande before a move to Barcelona.
He then rejoined Evergrande in 2018 and spent a further three years in the country.
7. Stephan El Shaarawy - £247,000-per-week (Shanghai Shenhua)
In the summer of 2019, former AC Milan winger Stephan El Shaarawy became the latest big name to pen a three year deal at Chinese Super League side Shanghai Shenhua for a reported €16 million fee.
He only scored four goals for the club before rejoining AS Roma in January 2021.
6. Graziano Pelle - £263,000-per-week (Shandong Luneng)
After an impressive European Championship, Italy forward Graziano Pelle became one of the highest-paid players in world football when he completed his move to Shandong Luneng in 2016 for a fee believed to be around £13 million.
He scored 63 times in 133 appearances in total during an impressive four-year spell.
5. Hulk - £320,000-per-week (Shanghai SIPG)
In the summer of 2016, Chinese Super League side Shanghai SIPG splashed out a whopping £47 million to lure Hulk to Asia. He made 145 appearances for the club, scoring 77 goals before leaving in 2020.
4. Cedric Bakambu - £341,000-per-week (Beijing Guoan)
On the final day of the Chinese transfer window, Cedric Bakambu completed a £65 million switch to Beijing Guoan from Villarreal in February 2018. He scored 58 times in 87 games for the club before moving to Marseille in January. Bakambu's since moved to Greek outfit Olympiacos.
3. Oscar - £500,000-per-week (Shanghai SIPG)
The former Chelsea player left Stamford Bridge in January 2017 to join Shanghai SIPG for a reported £60 million and since that big-money move, has enjoyed great success in the country, scoring 50 goals in 170 appearances.
2. Carlos Tevez - £634,615-per-week (Shanghai Shenhua)
The former Manchester United forward became the highest-paid player in world football following his move to Shanghai Shenhua but his time in China was far from successful.
He spent just seven months in China and later called it a holiday.
1. Ezequiel Lavezzi - £798,000-per-week (Hebei China Fortune)
As mentioned earlier, the Argentine forward earned a reported £798,000 a week during his three-year spell at the Langfang Stadium.
