Then how do owners justify the outlandish sums? Politics is part of the equation, said Mailman Group's Hornby.

"You know there is a far larger national objective than simply boosting the strength of a squad," he told AFP.

But while the huge figures make good headlines, Dreyer believes they are terrible for the development of China's domestic soccer talent.

"A lot of this money is being spent on salaries for foreign players, when it should be spent on youth academies," he said.

It is a fact that has not been lost on China's government.

Earlier this month, the official Communist Party mouthpiece the People's Daily warned that the explosive growth in Chinese football spending was a bubble, noting the eight billion yuan ($1.15 billion) in overall spending this year "far exceeded the economic value brought to the league".

And last week, the Chinese Football Association announced it would lower club quotas for foreign players.

"High-level foreign players have brought energy to the CSL and made CSL games more enjoyable," it said, "but they have created financial burdens for clubs and reduced opportunities for mainland players".

Source: AFP