Players moving to China has become somewhat of a trend in recent years.
Several have decided to up-sticks and move to Asia, with some making the switch a lot earlier than many would have expected.
And of those that have played in the Chinese Super League, most have earned themselves an absolute fortune.
One particular player reportedly pocketed a salary of almost £800,000 per week while playing for Hebei China Fortune, which equates to almost £41.5million per year.
Here, Daily Star Sport takes a look at takes a look at ten of the biggest salaries ever seen in the Chinese football.
Ezequiel Lavezzi (£798,000 per week)
The Argentine moved to China in 2016 to see out his career after a four-year spell with PSG.
Lavezzi spent three years playing for Chinese Super League club Hebei China Fortune, where he reportedly earned a staggering £798,000 per week.
The former Napoli forward called time on his playing career in 2019 at the age of 34, after making 75 appearances and scoring 35 goals in China.
But despite paying Lavezzi almost £800,000 a week, the Argentine didn’t bring any trophies to the club during his tenure.
Carlos Tevez – (£634,615 per week)
In any other league, wages as high as this would comfortably see you as the top earner in the division, but not in China.
And that’s because Tevez was playing in China at the same time as his international team-mate Lavezzi, who raked in more than £160,000 a week more.
Tevez joined Shanghai Shenhua in 2017 from Boca Juniors, but lasted just seven months in what he later described as a 'holiday'.
The Argentine subsequently returned to play for boyhood club Boca.
Oscar – (£500,000 per week)
Eyebrows were raised when 25-year-old Oscar made the £60m switch to Shanghai SIPG, now known as Shanghai Port in 2017, for a reported salary of more than £500,000 a week.
Many felt the Brazilian still had plenty to offer in Europe’s top leagues, but the attacking midfielder chose to make the move to China instead.
Oscar helped guide his team to the Chinese Super League title in 2018 and has gone on to make 144 appearances for the club, scoring 44 times.
Cedric Bakambu – (£341,000 per week)
Bakambu swapped Villarreal in favour of Beijing Guoan on deadline day 2018, where he is said to earn £341,000 per week.
The centre-forward has since gone on to score 53 times in 74 appearances for the capital-based club, winning the Chinese FA Cup in 2018.
The 30-year-old has been linked with a move back to LaLiga, with El Nacional reporting that Barcelona are interested in the DR Congo international.
Hulk (£320,000 per week)
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One year before Oscar’s arrival in Shanghai, Brazilian team-mate Hulk made the switch to the same club.
Hulk moved from Russian giants Zenit St Petersburg in 2016 for a reported fee of £45m and £320,000-a-week wage.
The Brazilian spent just over four-and-a-half years in China, before departing for nothing in January, after rejecting a new deal.
Hulk is now back in his native Brazil with Atletico Mineiro.
Graziano Pelle (£263,000 per week)
The ex-Southampton striker quit the Premier League in 2016 and moved to Shandong Luneng, now known as Shandong Taishan, on a contract reportedly worth £263,000 per week.
The Italian strikers best season saw him net 17 league goals in 25 games, while he scored 63 times in 133 appearances in total.
Pelle left China in 2020 to return to Italy with Parma on a one-year deal, but the 36-year-old is now without a club.
Stephan El Shaarawy (£247,000 per week)
Former AC Milan wonderkid El Shaarawy joined Shanghai Shenhua in 2019 for a reported fee of €16m (£13.7m) and weekly wages of £247,000 per week.
El Shaarawy helped his club on their way to the Chinese FA Cup during his debut season – the only trophy he won.
But after two seasons in China, El Shaarawy called time on his career in Shanghai in favour of a return to Serie A club Roma in January on a free transfer.
Paulinho (£230,000 per week)
The former Tottenham midfielder had not one, but two spells in China, with a two-year stint at Barcelona sandwiched in between.
The Brazilian left the Premier League in 2015 after signing a four-year deal with Guangzhou Evergrande, where he earned a reported £230,000 per week.
Paulinho made an instant impact in China, winning the Chinese Super League in his first two seasons at the club, before leaving for the Catalan giants in 2017.
But Paulinho returned in 2019 and won another Super League title in 2019, until he was released from his contract after a mutual agreement in the summer.
The 33-year-old joined Al-Ahli in July but left in peculiar circ*mstances after just two months in Saudi Arabia, and is now a free agent.
Eder (£213,000 per week)
A surprise big earner on the list, former Italy international forward Eder earned a fortune playing in China.
Eder reportedly made £213,000 per week during his three-year spell at the club, according to Statista.
Jiangsu Suning – who owner also own Eder’s former club Inter – took a gamble on a striker who had scored just 12 Serie A goals in 72 matches for Inter.
But it was a move that paid off, with Eder scoring regularly in China and helping Jiangsu to the Chinese Super League title in 2020.
The 34-year-old has since returned to the country of his birth, Brazil, where he is playing for Sao Paulo.
Marouane Fellaini (£205,000 per week)
Fellaini called time on his playing days with Manchester United after a six-year spell with The Red Devils.
The Belgium international chose China as his next destination, opting for a move to Shandong Luneng.
Statista say Fellaini pockets around £205,000 per week – a healthy retirement package for a player who is still only 33.
