Newspapers in China are reporting several top English football clubs are trying to sign four leading members of the Chinese national side. The China Daily newspaper says the London club, Chelsea, are chasing the national team captain, Fan Zhiyi. As Henry Tang reports, the transfer of Chinese stars to Britain, while still unconfirmed, would be a natural development for the game in China.

Chelsea, managed by Dutchman Ruud Gullit, have refused to confirm any interest in Fan Zhiyi or any other Chinese player. They say they never comment on press speculation about transfers.

The club's response is not surprising as many agents representing footballers tell newspapers leading teams are interested in their players so as to drive up their market value.

Ruud Gullit has built up a cosmopolitan squad at Chelsea

But that is not the case with the top Chinese stars, who do not appear to have agents.

A representative of the players based in London told the BBC they would be happy to play in England on lower salaries than they currently earn in China.

He said they are keen to improve their skills and awareness of the game in what is a much more competitive league.

A Chinese sports journalist, Bi Xidong, said the four players are planning to come to England in January and had lined up trials with nine teams.

He says the Chinese football authorities are keen to support the players if they want to play abroad.

Football stars like Fan Zhiyi, the 1996 Chinese Player of the Year, are big earners in China and do not need to move abroad just for the money.

Fan Zhiyi's team, Shanghai Shenhua, are reported to pay him more than $100,000 a year - a huge amount by ordinary Chinese standards.

But whether Fan Zhiyi goes to Chelsea or not, in the long run, the move of Chinese players to leading European teams seems inevitable.

Despite the high level of interest in football in China and heavy sponsorship of the game there by foreign companies like Marlboro and Philips, the national team is a failure.

This year it again missed out on qualifying for the World Cup. Players like Fan Zhiyi say that to compete successfully against the best foreigners they need to play against them regularly.

Although Chinese footballers have played in lower European leagues, none have competed at the highest levels in the continent.

By moving to Europe the leading players would be improving themselves and ultimately the Chinese national side.
 

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